Mend Me
by hisbabygirl091309
Summary: Dimitri leaves Rose just after the end of Last Sacrifice. But the reasons behind his choice are not what everyone would think. Where does Rose go from there, after her world is shattered? What happens when it suddenly changes again?
1. Break Me Down, Belikov

**Author's note:**

Rated Mature for later chapters. If you don't like, don't read, or I might feel generous and warn ahead of time. Set after the end of the series, though with a slight twist. The guardians were just figuring out about Rose and Dimitri and weren't taking it well. Abe and Janine never found out. They stayed a bit secretive, in hopes to slowly reveal it to everyone.

I'm writing this story, knowing that I will have to acknowledge the fact that I have read A LOT of fan-fiction and that means pieces here and there may be similar to other stories out there. But this is a work of my own. If you read this and truly feel that I took your idea, message me and I will put a note in about it. But the again I may now have read your story, because great minds think alike.

It's not going to go exactly the way everyone seems to do these stories. I'm gonna try to put some twists in here, and if you have any suggestions feel free to pm me with them. I love taking suggestions into account when I can.

Btw, this is my first published fan-fiction I wrote a lot before this, but now I need something to with my time (bored college student) so be gentle. Give good criticism. I do appreciate it!

**Rose's POV (RPOV)**

I was curled up on the couch, watching nothing in particular when I heard the front door open. I glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning in confusion. Dimitri was home early. That is completely out of the ordinary for him; he's always right on time. I grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turning off the television. I stretched, having grown stiff from lounging on the couch for too long.

I heard his footsteps coming close, but they were slower than usual. He wasn't rushing to see me like he normally does when he gets home. He turned the corner into the living room and his eyes met mine. Immediately I knew something was wrong. He was wearing his guardian mask. He never did that around me; there was no need to.

"Dimitri, what is it?" I asked, almost hesitant to know what would cause him to ask so strangely.

"I'm leaving, Rose." His voice was devoid of all emotion, giving me nothing to work with. I could feel my expression change to one of confusion. I stood and took a step towards him.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not giving myself time to think for myself about what he could mean. I knew how my thoughts worked and they would definitely take me to places I didn't want to go.

"I'm leaving court. I've been resigned over in Europe." For a moment, it seemed that his mask would falter, but it held strong. Or, maybe it was my desperate hope to know what he was really thinking.

I put on a brave smile, not wanting to understand what the sub-text of the conversation was telling me. "Oh, so where are we going? France? Germany? Maybe home to Russia?" I let myself ponder and get lost in my delusions. I crossed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist, looking up to his face.

He slowly pulled back from my embrace, removing my arms as if I had a contagious disease. "Not we, Rose. Only I." He stepped away from me then and stepped to walk towards the bedroom.

"Wait!" I grabbed his wrist, spinning him back towards me. "What do you mean, 'not we?' Of course it's we. I go where you go." I heard an almost desperate tone starting to leak into my voice. I couldn't let this happen. I must not understand him correctly. Yeah, that was it. I was confused.

He shook his head slowly, pulling arm away from me. "No, Rose. I'm leaving. _Alone_." He emphasized the word, as if saying it on its own was not enough. "This position is a great opportunity for me. I'll be working with a few Moroi who are studying spirit and its effects. I'm the prefect subject for that." He stepped back from me again, obviously trying to put a bit of space between us. He looked as if he was at loss for words. It was as if he had run out of things that he had prepared to say. "I leave in the morning. I need to pack." He turned away from me then, walking into the bedroom. He left me there, frozen in shock. This couldn't be happening. Our life had just started!

I followed him and grabbed my suitcase from inside the closet. I threw it on to the bed and flung the top open. Hastily, I began shoving clothes from my drawers into it. On about the third handful of clothes, Dimitri's hand wrapped itself around my wrist, stopping my movement. I looked to his face, still hoping he let his mask drop, even for the slightest of moments. I had no such luck.

"What are you doing, Rose?" His tone was almost harsh, but there was something else there, some other emotion I couldn't place. "I told you. I'm leaving. You're not." His words stung, but I held my ground. I wore my own mask now, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was as good as his.

"Where you go, I go too. I'm going with you, Dimitri." My voice was strong, though inside I felt weak and broken. "I don't care about your reasons. Lissa will be fine without me here. I don't have the bond anymore." As much as it hurt me to say my next words, I knew they were true. "I'm just another guardian now. I'm replaceable. She's Queen Valissa. There are plenty of other guardians for her."

His grip loosened on my wrist, but he still didn't let me go. "This isn't about Lissa." He whispered, his mask faltering for just a moments time. I couldn't quite understand what I saw there. Fear? Sadness, maybe. But as quickly as it fell, it was put back into place. "This has nothing to do with her, I'm making this decision on my own."

"Why then?" I lost my control then, and I saw him _almost_ flinch. "Why can't I come with you?" I felt tears brimming my eyes. I was beginning to crack, and I hoped he wouldn't answer the way I was beginning to suspect he would. He whispered again, this time so quietly that didn't catch what he said. "What was that?" He answered me with silence. "Tell me!" I shouted.

"Because I don't want you to come with me!" He returned my shout with one of his, which he then followed with a deep, calming breath. "I don't you to come, Rose." He paused, as if to think about his next words. His next were firm, but somewhat quieter. "I don't want _you_."

I was surprised that I wasn't crying. Somehow this revelation had completely dried my eyes. "You don't want me?" My brain was frozen, not quiet working. I took a breath, calming myself as he had. "What happened to forever? Why now?" I couldn't understand how I was so calm. I felt like my body was running on autopilot.

"I just..." He seemed lost for an answer, something I had never truly seen before from him. "I realized how different from each other we are. You need someone you own age, Rose. Not someone like me." I stood there silently, processing his. Somehow with each one, I grew more angry, not upset like I should be. "I need something different."

I nodded, crossing my arms across my chest. "Fine."

He almost looked shocked. "Fine?" He looked at me as if I had grown a second head or something. "What do you mean, 'Fine.'?"

I shrugged, though I don't know how I kept myself together. "I understand. It's all about the career. A job advancement. Go then. You had you fun with me, but now that you're done, you're leaving. I should have expected as much from a man who could cross the student-teacher boundary." I knew I was being harsh, and that I didn't really believe what I said, but I didn't care. My give-a-damn broke a few minutes ago when this all started.

I turned and walked out the room, slamming the door behind me. I stomped through the house, not exactly sure where I was going or what I was looking for. I just felt the incessant need to smash something. I settled for being outside, somewhere I could breath fresh air. I don't know how long I stood there, leaning against the house, but finally he stepped out.

I looked to him and found he was carrying both his suitcases. "So you're leaving tonight." Voice was indifferent, while my mind was completely numb. "Makes sense. Wouldn't wanna stay here any longer than you have to."

"Rose, I'm sorry." He eyes pleaded with me to believe him, but I wouldn't give in now. "I wish this could be different, but I don't see how it can." He ducked his head and began walking for the street, but I stepped in front of him.

"Answer me this, Belikov." This time there was a visible flinch when I addressed him. "What happened to the man who loved me?" This caused pain to flash in his eyes. I was glad for it, he caused me to feel it. Why shouldn't he? "Where is the man who promised to never leave me?"

He looked away from me, not wanting to meet my eyes. "I do love you, Rose," he began, sounding as if he was in agony, "but it's not enough. I don't love you like I thought I did." He looked back to me then, his expression broken. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah." My tone was blunt and biting. "Me too. Sorry I ever laid eyes on you."

"Rose... please. Try to understand." He was now the one who was pleading. How ironic life can be sometimes.

"I understand perfectly." Just then, a taxi pulled up behind me. The driver waved to Dimitri, who signaled for the driver to wait just a moment. "I take it that's your ride outta here. Go. You're free of me." I stared at him, my expression cold.

He sighed a weary man's sigh. "Goodbye." He whispered and leaned into me, as if to kiss my forehead. I shoved him back, appalled that he thought he had the right to touch me after this.

"Don't you dare touch me," I growled at him, burying my pain even further down with anger and hatred. "It already makes me sick to think you've touched me. Used me. Now go." When he didn't move, I shoved him forward. Hard. "Go! Leave! Get in the damned taxi and don't you dare come back here. There is nothing more I have to say to you."

His eyes glistened, and, for a moment, I thought he might cry. But he was strong as ever, I'd give him that much. "Goodbye, Roza." He said softly.

"It's Guardian Hathaway to you, Guardian Belikov." I could see that was the finally blow. The worst I could say to him. He looked utterly defeated and it took everything I had in me to stay strong. But somehow, I managed it. "We're done here." And with that I opened the door and walked back into the house.

I stood there, my back pressed to the door, breathing heavily. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. Worst of all, I wanted Dimitri. I didn't know how I lasted this long, but finally my facade collapsed. I burst into tears, crying harder than I think I ever have. I fell to my knees, wanting nothing more than to curl up and disappear.

I heard the taxi take off and I was out the door before I knew what I was doing. I ran to the end of drive, screaming for him. Screaming his name, for him to come back. Just screaming. The moment I lost sight of the taxi, I broke. Completely. I collapsed to the ground, crying hard, laying there on the cool asphalt of the driveway. I let myself hurt, and I didn't get up. I didn't want to face this. I didn't want to live without him by my side.

I didn't want to be.


	2. A Self Mutilated Man

**AN**: So, I wasn't planning on posting again for a few days, but when I woke up this morning and already had three reviews the morning after I posted the first chapter, I thought, "Man. I have to now…" ha-ha.

Now for the two of you who were hoping for a Dimitri POV of the reason why, it's coming. But… It'll be a while. For the sake of the story, it has to be. I will do short spurts of Dimitri's POV here and there, but he won't give away why until much later. You'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and if anyone was confused… I don't own Vampire Academy…

**Dimitri's POV (DPOV)**

I hung my head in my hands as I heard and felt the engine of the taxi rev to life. I had hurt her, hurt her so much more than I had intended to. _But that was Rose, for you,_ I thought sardonically. _Never without a fight. _I had hoped she'd accept my flimsy, pathetic reasons. But I had to do what I wished I hadn't. I had to break her, completely make her loath me with all of her being. _But_, I wondered, _if I did this to myself, why does it hurt so bad?_

_Because you __**love**__ her. Go back to her, Dimka! _Oddly enough, the voice I heard was that of my mother. I shook my head at myself, wiping away the voice of my mother and her sensible answers. "She won't take me back now. I've destroyed her." I muttered to no one in particular. "It's better this way. She'll be safe. That's what matters." _Even if she's unhappy, Dimka? _My mother's voice asked me, but I ignored her this time.

I was trying so very hard not to break. I couldn't let myself cry. "Russian gods don't cry, right?" I laughed bitterly. We were just about to turn off of her street when I heard it. The sound that shattered my soul: Rose's screams. Her screams for me. Tears leaked from my eyes, wrenching deep broken sobs from my chest. The driver shot a shocked look back at me, though who could blame him? A six and a half foot guardian, sobbing like a child who'd lost their mommy. "Just keeping g-going." I stuttered through my tears. He shrugged and turned his attention back to the road.

I didn't look back to see her one last time. I couldn't allow myself the luxury. I knew the moment I saw her standing there, screaming and crying out for me, I would go back. I probably wouldn't even wait for the taxi to stop moving. I would just open the door and hit the asphalt running. But I wouldn't, **couldn't** do that. So I cried. I was a broken man, leaving the one good part of him behind.

My tears began to dry themselves up as we neared the airport. I think I had just run completely out of them. As a walked through the terminal a realization hit with a deadly force. I almost laughed at it, though I couldn't tell you why. Inside my body, I was a man. Broken, defeated, and utterly destroyed. But outside, my face was my guardian's mask. I didn't show a second of what was inside. I guess that was the best way.

I was dead to world, and frankly, I didn't give a damn.

**AN**: I am going to attempt another chapter before I leave work, cuz I know this one was EXTREMELY short. But I wanted a little Dimka time. You couldn't be left without knowing how felt on the matter! I'm here for another three hours and I finished this in a half an hour so I should get the next one up soon! Here come's Adrian's POV and it should be a long chapter (depending on how I cut it).

And no, this will NOT be a RoseXAdrian story.

Happy Reading! And please review! I do read them and love to know what you guys want from the story. You guys helped me to decide on this chapter being in here. I originally didn't plan on it!


	3. Kill That Russian Bastard

**AN**: So this chapter is gonna have a couple different POV's in it. Keep things interesting.

And I wanting to mention a little twist I'm throwing in. Lissa and Christian have a little apartment just on the edge of Court, because sometimes they want to spend some time as a normal couple. Most of the time they will be in the palace, but every so often they take a break from the hectic life of politics and stay hidden for a little while.

Ooh and I'm going to try to keep the vampire schedule correct, but if a time of day is completely off, let me know and I'll edit it.

**Adrian POV (APOV)**

I don't think you can ever completely understand what 'trashed' means until you've been there at 3 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. Well, afternoon for us Moroi, but who cares anyway. But, apple or oranges, it was all the same to me. Drunk is drunk, no matter the time of day or night. All that matters is what you drank. And to be honest, I couldn't tell you what I had. It was a doosie though, I can tell you that.

My face was upturned to the sky, letting the little droplets of rain hit my face as I walked. It wasn't a hard rain, just a light drizzle, but it felt good on my hot face. My right hand clutched a half empty bottle of Russian vodka, and I took a quick swig of it as I walked. My mind mused over a few small things as I walked through Court, aimlessly pointing myself in no particular direction. I pondered that maybe I did drink a bit too much because, well, when you could walk a straight line but are so plastered it takes you six tries to spell your own name, I think you've had too much and far too much practice walking a straight line while intoxicated. And that's precisely where I was right now.

My feet led me to the same place I always went this time of day, whenever I was like this. They led me to Rose. I didn't want to go to her, to remind myself of why I drink until I don't feel the pain. But I guess I'm a masochist. Every day, around this same time, I pass by her house, bottle in hand. Some days, I mutter nonsensical ramblings to them that they'll never hear. Some days I just stare and wish it was me in that house. Wish it was me cooking for her and loving her. But today was different.

Today, I dropped the vodka.

My body was frozen, my heart beating erratically in my chest. I stared down at the pavement of her driveway, hoping my eyes were failing me. But, when I blinked, and blinked, and blinked for a third time, she was still there. Rose lay on the ground, soaking wet from the drizzle, and what I assumed earlier had been harder rain. I could hear her cries from where I was, and that was what snapped me out of my haze.

I ran to her side, dropping to my knees next to her head. Brushing her hair away from her face, I was shocked to see she was completely asleep. But she was crying heavily either way. I ran my fingers down her cheek softly, trying to rouse her. The crying worsened with my touch, causing almost heaving coughs to wrack her body. I grabbed her shoulder and gently shook her. At first it proved a fruitless task of waking her, but I tried again, shaking a little more fiercely and this time, she opened her eyes.

They were more than puffy and bloodshot. Her eyes had enough red in them that she almost had the eyes of a strigoi. She looked at me with a lost and helpless expression, one I had never seen in her eyes before. It scared me, shook me to the core of my being. Her eyes were so terribly hopeless; I didn't need to stare at her aura to know she was broken hearted. I brushed back her hair again as confusion gripped me. _Where was Belikov? _I asked myself. _Where was he when she needed him to fix her?_ It shouldn't be me right now, looking down at her. Anger gripped my heart in a vice with my next thought. _If he did this to her… _

"A-Adrian…" Rose whispered, pulling me back from my wonderings. It broke my heart once more to see her like this. Her voice was so light and fragile; I felt she would be blown away by the lightest breeze. I scooped her up into my arms, holding her form close and tight to my body. She was shivering against my chest, soaked to the bone, no doubt.

I walked her into the house; the door was standing wide open, making it easy for me to carry her. I looked around, searching for something. Laying her down on the couch for a quick moment, I ran up the stairs to, what I would assume was, her bedroom. I grabbed the thick comforter from the bed in the center of the room, knocking something large onto the floor, though what it was, I didn't care. I turned to leave but I paused, the dressers catching my eye. Both seemed fascinating to me, but one held just a bit more intrigue.

The left dresser was obviously Belikov's. It was neat and orderly on the top with very few frills and unneeded accessories. Next to it was an identical model, which was no doubt Rose's. Hers was adorned with pictures of every person in her life, from Lissa to Belikov and her parents, Sparky, and there was even a small picture of me. I fingered the frame for a second before looking back to the dressers. What was on them hadn't stopped me. It was what was _in_ them. Rose's drawers were packed full, if not stuffed haphazardly. It was something I expected out of Rose, she was always in such a hurry, of course she wouldn't have time to fold the laundry. But all of Belikov's drawers were open wide. And completely empty. I looked back to the bed, and next to it I saw a suitcase. My eyes flashed to the closet and saw not one button up shirt and not one pair of guardian slacks that belonged to that… _man_.

My mind reeled as it answered the million dollar question. "He left her…" I whispered, finding myself once again in complete and utter shock. "But… why? He…" I shook myself, remembering why I had run my ass up here in the first place. It wasn't to pry into her life, it was to save it.

I took the stairs two at a time on the way down, wanting to be back at her side as soon as possible. I spun around the corner, comforter in hand, and I froze again. That seemed to be happening to me a lot with the last half hour. My eyes stuck on Rose, who was lying right where I left her on the couch. But she wasn't crying anymore. Her eyes stared blankly ahead, as if she didn't have the energy to focus. I knew what she was feeling; I had sort of been there recently. But I was scared for her. I hadn't reacted this badly to her leaving me, why was she doing this when he left? Did she really love him more than I thought? Maybe I hadn't loved as much as I had believed. Shaking my head, I cleared my thoughts. Now wasn't the time to ponder lost love. It was time to help her.

I wrapped the comforter around her soft form, picking her up in my arms once again. When I had her settle, I looked down at her. "Rose…?" I whispered, trying not to scare her if she was really out of it. "Rose?" I tried again, and I earned a small head turn and after a moment her eyes focus, somewhat, on me.

New tears were forming in her eyes. I had almost hoped she'd run out of them at this point. "Adrian?" She asked, checking to see if it was really me, I think. I would be surprised to if I were her. If you'd told me yesterday that I'd have her cradled in my arms, I would have laughed and thrown my shot in your face. But it seems life, as always, has a cruel sense of humor.

"Yeah, Little Dhamphir. It's me." I brushed her hair back, trying to soothe away the tears. I don't know if it helped or not, I'd like to think it did. But I couldn't tell from her expression. It was a mixture of tears and a blank stare. It was if she wasn't even seeing me.

"W-why?" She whispered. She was frail. Her voice cracked in the middle of her one little word and I started walking her out of the house. I shook my head, before what I assumed was exhaustion took over her and she passed out in my arms. I wished I had the answer for her. Wished I knew why that man would throw this beautiful woman away like this. But I knew two small pieces of the puzzle. One, I was surprised how fast a situation like this could totally kill me being completely wasted. And more importantly, two: I knew what I'd do when I saw Belikov again.

I'd kill the bastard.

**Christian POV (CPOV)**

"I'm gonna hop in the shower before dinner. That smells wonderful, by the way." Lissa whispered as she kissed my cheek and she walked past me in the kitchen. I laughed, wondering when she would stop sounding so surprised at my cooking. I could handle it from Rose, it seemed to be her job in life to protect Lissa and meanwhile give me shit at the same time. But Lissa was my love; she should have faith in me.

"Thanks, Liss. Don't sound so surprised!" I shouted, hoping my voice would carry up to the shower. Shaking my head, I stirred the noodles a bit, and turned back to the sauce. I sniffed the concoction, smiling to myself. It wasn't a hard dish to begin with: spaghetti. How could you screw that up?

I reached for the garlic, sprinkling a little over the sauce. Just as I was about to pull away, there was a loud pounding at the front door of the apartment. I jumped about two feet in the air, and unluckily, I dropped the garlic. Half the bottle poured into the sauce, completely ruining my delicious dinner. I huffed in anger and clicked off the burner for the sauce, stomping toward the door. The pounding hadn't stopped, it merely grew louder. It sounded as if someone was kicking the door as hard as they could. I heard shouting on the other side of the door. But for all the racket the kicking was making, I could only make out the voice.

That someone who was beating down my door would be Adrian, who would soon be a dead Adrian.

I pulled the door open, shouting before it was even fully open. "Goddamnit Adrian! Why can't you knock like a norm-" I stopped screaming when I saw the picture before me. A very sober looking Adrian, as weird as that was, was carrying a very wet and unconscious Rose. My mouth dropped open in shock and for once I didn't have a snarky, biting comment like usual. I was stunned.

Adrian shifted his feet, and shifted Rose in his arms. "Can I come in now, Sparky?" He asked, lacking his usual charisma and charm. He just looked, I don't know, defeated. I nodded and stepped out of the way. He carried Rose to the couch, laying her down gently.

"What happened?" I asked, running back into the kitchen to turn off the noodles. I know, in a situation like this, how am I thinking about food? I don't know. Ask me later, maybe my brain will start functioning by then. I reached the living room again quickly, practically running through my house. "What happened, Adrian?" I asked again, this time a little more firmly. He looked up from her, seeming to take a few seconds to focus on me.

"He left her." I flinched at the malice I heard in his tone. Adrian, in all the time I've known him, didn't really have a mean bone in his body. But he emitted such a feeling of hatred right now; I was taken completely aback by it. I didn't ask who he meant, it was completely obvious.

"But… why?" I was lost for words, praying Lissa would hurry up with her damn shower and help me down here. I had no idea how to handle situations like this. I was lost and scared, well scared for Rose. If I hadn't heard her whimpering in sleep, hadn't seen the tears on her cheeks, I'd think she was dead for how still and pale she was. Her face was even a little blue from the cold.

"Help me push this." I had been so caught up in Rose, I hadn't noticed Adrian stand or move behind the couch. I stared at him, not sure what he was asking me to do. "Help me push the couch closer to the fireplace, Sparky. And light Rose a fire while you're at it, she needs to get warmed up." He ordered me around, and any other time, I would have snapped back him, but right now I just complied. I help push the couch until it was as close as safety would allow. I flicked my hand and roaring fire burst to life in front of us. I hoped it would help her. It freaked me out to see Rose so vulnerable. It wasn't natural.

"So, why?" I turned on Adrian, demanding he give me some answers. Rose wasn't in any condition to answer me, so I had only one other option.

He ran his fingers through hair, stress playing heavy on his face. "I don't know. I found her like that," he gestured absently told the sleeping Rose, "and she really hasn't been up for conversation since. All I know is she's broken. And when I grabbed her blanket, I saw he'd cleared out all of his stuff. He's gone, Sparky." He flopped down on a chair next to where the couch had been, staring off into the fire.

"Adrian…" I started, a morbid curiosity making me speak. I only received a light 'hmmm?' from him, which I took as a sign to continue. "Well, two things, actually. One: why'd you help her?" I couldn't help but wonder. He had been so tore up lately, and yet when she needed him, he was right at her feet.

He looked almost appalled at my question. "Just because she shredded my heart doesn't mean I don't care about her. I promise you that if Lissa did this to you, and you found her passed out in the rain with now real will left, you'd help her. There's no question about it." His words shocked me, but it took me barely a moment to realize they were true. Well, score one Adrian.

"Well, two…." I stopped, not sure how to continue. It was a touchy subject for guys, and plus I didn't do it much myself. How do you talk to someone else about it? "Are you aware that you're… umm, crying?" I asked, falling over my words.

Adrian touched his cheek absently, seeming a bit shocked to find it wet. "I cry now, when I never have, but when she cries for another who is gone, I cry right there with her." He rambled a little, and it scared me. Not for him, but for Lissa. I wasn't a godly man, but when I thought about her drifting off into madness, I almost believed I should pray.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear, as they say. Lissa appeared at the top of the stairs, hair wrapped in a towel, but otherwise dressed to perfection as always. "What is going on? All I hear is banging and screaming! It sounded like you were tearing the house apart!" He hands were placed firmly on her hips, and if not for the situation, I would have thought her adorable. She looked like she was trying to be so fierce, but the girl had about as much fierce in her as a baby bunny rabbit. She spotted Adrian, and turned her gaze on him. "I suppose it was you kicking my down, then?"

"Quite literally." I muttered. He shot me a look but didn't say anything to me. "Sorry, your majesty," _Oh, please don't go there. Not matter how mad you are at Belikov._ I thought, miserably. She hates being addressed like royalty. "But I thought this was the right place to bring Rose."

Lissa stopped from answering him, a bit of doubt creasing her face. "What about Rose?" Her eyes searched the room, where they fell on Rose's body lying on the couch. I don't know what she read in Rose's aura, but it seemed to distress her. "Rose!" She hurtled down the stairs faster than I'd ever seen, running to Rose's side in a flash.

I followed her, looking closely at Rose, finding she wasn't as asleep as I thought. Her eyes were open but vacant, as if she were just a shell of Rose. My sick humor kicked in and I spoke before thinking, "Looks like Rose checked out for the night." My words earned me two separate glares. I offered them an 'I'm sorry' look, feeling terrible about my misplaced humor. Lissa crouched down in front of Rose's face.

"Rose?" She whispered, trying to be gentle. It was so odd to see their roles reversed. Usually Rose was afraid of breaking Lissa, not the other way around. "Rose?" She tried again. But still there was no answer. She kept trying, repeating her name a couple dozen times. But she was getting irritated, but I couldn't understand why. Rose had every right to be upset didn't she? Something snapped in Lissa and she sat Rose up on the couch, steadying her. Then she did the unbelievable. She slapped Rose hard across the face.

_At least it worked_, I thought. Rose's hand flew to her cheek and her eyes grew more and more attentive by the second. I thought she would maybe hit Lissa back or possibly get angry and leave. But she shocked us all. Well, maybe Lissa seen it coming, but I couldn't be sure. Rose burst into full on tears, sobbing as she flung herself into Lissa's arms. She muttered incomprehensible words between her heaving breaths. I didn't catch them all but did hear 'why', 'he's gone', and 'it hurts' over and over again.  
>Lissa sat there indulgingly, patting Rose's hair, whispering calming words and sounds to her. We stood and sat there for the longest time, waiting it out. Adrian was the only one to get up during that time. I heard a lot of rustling in cabinets and the fridge, but he returned from kitchen a short time later with vodka in hand. I rolled my eyes, and looked back to my love who still sat holding Rose. Our eyes met, and she passed me a silent message: <em>So help me if I ever see him again…<em>

_Yeah, baby, that makes three of us._


	4. She Said What Now?

**AN:**Wow! Ten responses in less than the first 24 hours! I feel so loved. I especially loved the comment about how Dimka's gonna have a hit list out for him! Hehe. I'm so glad you guys like the story. Sorry if it's moving a bit slow, it's still all set up for now. But I'm trying!

Also wanna throw it out there that I will be trying to update once a week (and they wont be small) but it might be hard. I'm a first semester freshman in college so I am still getting used to how much free time I have. But I'll try my hardest to move as quickly as possible!

Oh, and for now I feel like avoiding Rose's POV (maybe). It seems to me that, what with the state she's in, it would be the first half of New Moon, Rose's version, all over again. If you really want it though, I may be persuaded for next chapter! Let me know!

I don't own Vampire Academy... :(

**APOV**

She lay in Lissa's arms, just crying. I couldn't help staring at her, somewhat morbidly fascinated by the experience. Rose never cries; why not experience it while I can? Not that I was enjoying it, mind you, but it made me understand Rose better. I knew now that he was truly the one for her, not me. She loved him so deeply; it seemed as if her soul was being ripped in two from his departure. When she left me, she had barely batted an eye. I understood these things now, and didn't fully forgive yet, but at least I wouldn't hold her love against her. I couldn't do that when I would have done the same if I had been Rose and she the strigoi.

What held my mind's attention now was the absence of Belikov. I knew he loved her just as she loved him. I didn't need to read aura's to know that one; even an idiot could see. He glowed every time she came near him. He lived to love her. But again I asked myself, _why__did__he__**leave**__her?_ Not one bit of it made sense to me. But damnit, it was starting to bug me. I had to know what had come crashing down to cause this.

When the tears finally dried up, so did her energy. She fell asleep there on the floor, awkwardly positioned across Lissa's body. Sighing, I picked her up again, laying her back on the couch. I threw the comforter I had taken from her room aside. "Yo, Sparky." Christian glanced up at me. The look in his suggested to me that he had too been lost in his own thoughts. I wondered how close his were to my own. "Can you grab another blanket for her? That one's sort of shot." He nodded absently, standing up slowly. I didn't bother paying attention to where he went; I was sure he could a blanket in his own house. I ran my hand through my hair again, feeling sort of helpless again. I grabbed the bottle, my one true source of comfort, and took a hefty swig. I settled back into my chair, waiting for Christian to return.

It wasn't long before Rose was nicely covered up and the rest of us were frozen in an awkward silence no one knew how to break. I pondered how to start the conversation, but Sparky decided to end it. I should have expected as much. That boy never seemed to find a topic he couldn't handle.

"So, any theories?" He asked, being as blunt as possible. His eyes were alight with concern, which I admired. No matter how often those two fought and bickered like siblings, he really cares for Rose. It gained him a little more respect, from me at least. He looked from Lissa to me and back again. "Cuz I sure as hell know he didn't leave for no good reason." His eyes flashed with anger, no doubt over the fact that Belikov just up and took off, leaving Rose in a heaping mess.

"I know what you mean," I admitted. "He loved her like no other." I sighed, hating the topic at hand. As much as I would admit that he was the one for her, a small part of me still hated him for it. I couldn't help want to be the one who would make her smile. But I knew now it was a lost cause that I had to move on from. "He wouldn't have left if someone hadn't forced him. He wouldn't have left without a reason and, undoubtedly, a fight. But my million dollar question is," I paused, not for effect, but to gather my thoughts, "why did he leave her in such a mess? Why did he go as far as to completely destroy her?" My heart ached at the thought of it all, but I knew what I said was true. With the state she was in, he must have used some pretty low punches.

Christian looked at me as if I were quasi-retarded. "Why do you think? We all know how Rose is." He said it in flippant manner, but his tone betrayed how much it hurt him to think about it. "She wouldn't have let him go without a fight. She probably stood her ground and he had to say what he could to get outta there." He looked to Rose then, and his expression turned softer. More compassionate, which was pretty rare for our boy Sparky. "That's why you found her outside, you know." His tone was much softer now, almost as if he had to be gentle for her sake.

"What do you mean?" In all of this, it had left me more than dazed. I was actually kind of surprised at how insightful he was being. It was a rare show of how much he really cared for not only Rose, but all of his friends. Maybe it was because that's all he had left. All of his family was gone, so he felt he had to make his own. But what did I know?

He switched his gaze back to me, though he didn't lose any of that compassion or gentleness. "She ran after him. But it was probably far too late. And when she realized he really was gone," he sighed, and I could swear, he had tears brimming his eyes, "she fell apart. There wouldn't have been any reason to stay together at that point."

I thought about this and realized he was more than likely right again. I didn't know where he pulled this random act of empathy from, but it was both refreshing and unsettling. It was definitely a new, different side to him that I had never seen before, but part of me was longing for his snide comments. Anything to break up the sorrow encasing us all.

Speaking of 'us all', it suddenly dawned on me that in all of this, Lissa had stayed strangely silent. I would think she would have some sort of idea about all this, seeing as it was her best friend we were discussing. I looked to where she was sitting by the fireplace. She was still where she had been when Rose cried on her, but her gaze was far off in the distance. Her fingers fiddled with her hair, making her seem deep in thought. She looked as if something was troubling her immensely. Her aura seemed to be mostly normal, her usual gold and other colors, streaked with hints of sadness and something else. I couldn't exactly place what it was. It most closely resembled guilt, but that couldn't be right, could it? But, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. I rubbed my eyes, convinced the stress and alcohol were making my eyes do funny things. It was a wonder that I could even see her aura at all after the drinking I had done today.

"Anything to add there, Your Highness?" I asked, yawning wide. I knew she detested being addressed by title, but I couldn't help myself. I had to get her goat, and if Sparky wouldn't relieve this stress, I would. "You've been awfully quiet." Lissa look over to me and shook her head. "Are you sure? You have to have some sort of idea? Did you hear anything before hand? You know, you kind of are the queen." I pushed, trying to pay attention to her aura while still keeping a conversational tone.

Her guilt flashed again, not only in her aura, but in her eyes. "Yeah, sort of. I was asked to approve his transfer." I don't know what she saw in mine and Christian's faces, but she immediately backpedaled. "I didn't know where it was to! I thought they were relieving him from watching you, honey, "she looked to Christian with sad eyes, though some little part of me wondered if she were being honest, "and reassigning him somewhere here in court. I didn't know he'd be shipped all the way to Europe!" Lissa looked frantic, but I knew she was a good actress. Something in all this wasn't adding up for me, and I was definitely a firm believer in trusting what you see in auras. Our precious queen wasn't being completely honest with us.

But I let the subject drop for now, leaning back in my chair. I knew well enough not to push the subject, especially with Rose in the room with us. "That just leaves me with another question." I said, staring up to the ceiling. "Why did he leave?" I looked at them and I think they thought I had completely missed the previous pieces of the conversation. "What I mean is… We know how he left, what he did when he left. But has either of you stopped to think of what made him leave? It couldn't have just been a job. He loved her too much for that!" Christian look puzzled. He seemed to have been stuck more in the _what_ than the _why_. He shrugged, not saying anything. His expression turned to one of concentration. I could just imagine the hamsters feverishly running in the wheels of his brain, trying to solve the answer.

Lissa, on the other hand, now had something to contribute. "Not to be the devil's advocate, but what if he just left her?" He face must have given away my shock at her absurd idea because quickly added, "Hear me out. What if he did think it was best to go for the new position? Why is that such a terribly impossible option?" I kept quiet, not expressing my doubt. There was no way a better guardian position would be enough for Belikov to leave Rose willingly. I kept my suspicions to myself as well. I couldn't shake the feeling that Lissa knew more than she was letting on. I almost felt that she had a hand in his departure, but I couldn't be for sure on that one. She continued, "What if he suddenly realized they weren't made for each? Or maybe their ages were too different. Who knows?"

I kept my mouth shut on that one. Her 'theories' were just furthering my suspicion that she had something to do with it all. But just because I stayed quiet, that didn't mean Sparky would. "That's bull, Lissa. Even a man who is blind in one eye and couldn't see out of the other could see they were perfect. I don't believe for a second that it was completely his decision to go." He stared at her for a moment. "You didn't know anything else, did you, Lissa?" I could hear the hesitancy in his voice. I would be careful, too. Say one thing wrong to her, and here comes the darkness.

"Nothing besides what I told you." She was more than flippant, overly so. Every second that passed added more fuel to the 'Lissa's guilty' fire. She was trying too hard to be convincing. Too hard to seem innocent. She sighed, sounding as if she were bored or maybe tired. "I'm gonna go get some sleep. Wake me if Rose needs anything." She spoke to Christian alone, and I wondered if she knew I suspected her. She kissed him lightly on the cheek and flitted gracefully out of sight.

I turned to Christian, but he beat me to the punch. "She knows something. Something big." I nodded, not sure what to say to him. I knew he loved her, so would he stand beside her? Or would he stand up for Rose if Lissa had done something to make Belikov leave? "She's hiding something from us, and I don't like it." There was a hurt in his eyes, one that hadn't been there since the last time they had had a rough patch in their relationship.

"I know, but we can't jump to conclusions. Maybe she didn't have the heart to break it to Rose that he was leaving. Maybe she knew he was leaving." I tried to sound confident in my alternate explanation, but I think we both saw through it. I knew, and I'm sure he did too, that she was guilty of more than withholding the truth.

I suddenly had an idea. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it wouldn't hurt to try. "I'm gonna run up to the bathroom." I spoke, shooting for an indifferent tone.

"Go for it?" Christian seemed almost uneasy at my openness. I looked back at him, waiting for the light bulb to turn on. It flashed a moment later and realization filled his eyes. "Going to spy, huh?" He almost smirked. I think he would have, if it hadn't been for the fact that it was Lissa I was spying on.

"Yep." With that, I trotted up the stairs, going as slowly as possible. I didn't want her to hear me, I wanted it to seem as if I were really going to the bathroom. I was trying not to be too loud. Following the dim light of her aura, I stopped outside the third door down the hall. Pressing my ear close to the door, I listened intently in on what Lissa was saying on the other side of the door.

"I told you to leave her, not destroy her!" Her voice drifted out to me, and it sounded as if she were almost screaming. She must have been on the phone with Belikov, I was guessing. "You completely tore her apart! You didn't see her after you left! I don't know what you said to her but you didn't have to go that far." The was a pause, Belikov must have been trying to say something. "I don't care! You didn't have to say those things to her! I gave you a fool-proof plan on how to get out of here! You had the where, the why, the how! You just had to break it off with her." She paused again, and I tried to keep a handle on myself. Lissa knew about it all, and not only did she know, she orchestrated the whole thing it seemed. I couldn't believe this. Why would she do this to Rose? "Well, whatever Dimitri. I don't care about the details. At least you ended it. She'll get over it." Her tone shocked me to the extreme. She almost sounded as if she was annoyed with Rose. Like Rose was acting like child or something. But what she said next completely destroyed what I thought of reality. "We'll talk later. Yeah. I love you, Dimitri."

**AN:** So let me know what you guys think. I was gonna make this chapter much longer, but I decided to split it so that you could have something to read. Also I was looking for someone to bounce ideas off of because I can't decided between two different ways I wanna take this story so if anyone's interested, let me know! And believe me, you'll be shocked at where I'm going with this. R/R and thanks for reading.


	5. Queen Valissa, You Bitch!

**AN:** Soooo, onto chapter 5! I can't believe I've made it this far this quickly. I really hope you guys are enjoying this as much I enjoy writing it. I'm trying to figure out where I'm swinging this story to now, well because there's so many ways I could take this. And sorry it took so long to update for this chapter, I had to go home this weekend (college student) and I didn't know I was til the day before I left! But oh, was the Boyfriend surprised! Hehe.

And thanks to MommaFox for all you help with ideas for the story!

**APOV**

I staggered back from the door, completely taken aback by what I had heard. _'I__ love __you,__ Dimitri'?_ What the hell? How could she...?

My mind was reeling. I couldn't complete thoughts, let alone make sense of any of them. I shook myself, and tried to focus. I forced myself into the bathroom, thinking that maybe some water on my face would help me to understand what had just happened. I turned the water on, letting it run and get as cold as ice. I splashed myself several times, attempting to wash away the haze that my eavesdropping had left me in. How could she do this to Rose? Not only had she apparently known about it, but she was in love with Dimitri? I almost felt dizzy in the whirl of it all.

I heard the door open behind me, and I spun around to face Lissa. She had a shocked look on her face, and I was sure I wore a similar expression. "Sorry, I didn't know you were in here." She moved to close the door and leave, but I grabbed her wrist.

"How, Lissa? How could you?" I don't know why voice came out as a whisper, but it almost seemed to increase the tension inside me. I felt weak, like this whole ordeal was draining the life from me. "How?" Her arm tensed under my grip, and she pulled her arm towards her, but I held on tight.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Her tone was rough, telling me not to push the issue. "Let me go, Adrian." She yanked again, and I lost my grip. She turned toward me, staring me in the eyes. "I haven't done anything. Dimitri left Rose because he wanted to. He didn't love her anymore. We all know that." Her eyes bore into mine, and suddenly, what she said made sense to me. How could I have thought any different? Why would I question-

I shook my head violently. "How dare you!" I almost shouted. "Don't you dare use compulsion on me!" I glared at her, and she flinched under my gaze. Good, maybe now she'd understand I was serious. "I heard your little phone call to Dimitri." My voice was hard as stone, her attempt at compulsion having strengthened my resolve. "I know you had **everything** to do with this." She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. "Don't even try. I don't want to hear it, Lissa." I shook my head at her. "You disgust me." I pushed past her, walking back toward the stairs.

"Adrian. Wait." Lissa called to me, just as quietly as before. But her tone was different. She sounded almost defiant. I turned back to face her. "What are you gonna do now? Gonna go run and tell Rose? Gonna tell Christian?" She crossed her arms, silently daring me to do those things. But I had an even better plan.

I took a step closer to her, and kept me voice level and cool as I spoke. "No. I won't tell either of them. I won't tell anyone." Her face flashed shock and relief. She placed her hand on my arm, and I think she was about to thank me. I pulled away as if she were something putrid and contagious. "Don't touch me." I fixed a stony glare on her. "You're going to tell them. You'll confess what you've done."

She responded by laughing at me. "Why would I do something stupid like that?"

"Because the guilt will eat at you." She now returned my glare, but it didn't faze me. "You won't be able to watch Christian dote on you and love you. You won't be able to handle Rose protecting you. Their love for you will make you crack. And when it does," I turned to leave her then, stopping at the top of the stairs to look over my shoulder, "you'll lose everything dear to you in this world. Goodnight, _Your__ Highness_." I spat the title at her, giving her the plain idea that I didn't believe she deserved it. I left her standing there in the hall, staring after me gaped-mouthed.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I walked back into the living room, plopping back down into my chair. Christian looked expectantly over at me, waiting for any news. "You hear anything?" He asked, but his tone showed he still hoped for the best.

I shook my head. "She was asleep already. But the more I think about it, the more I think that she's just guilty about not letting Rose know sooner." I was lying through my teeth, and it was killing me. I genuinely liked Christian, but I really thought that it would all come out soon. Lissa would crack under the pressure, and when she did, her whole world as she knew it would shatter. Part of me, which I think may have been my long buried conscience, whispered to me that it would destroy Christian and Rose as well. But I shrugged it off. It was her problem to deal with, not mine.

Christian looked weary to agree with me, but in the end, I think his love for Lissa won the battle. He nodded slowly, letting out a heavyhearted sigh. "You're probably right. I just feel sorta terrible for not trusting her." I could tell he was warring with himself right now, fighting between his instincts and his love for her. But I knew love would win. He shook his head and looked over to where I was. "I'm gonna head off to bed. There are blankets in the closet," he gestured behind me to where I assumed the closet was.

I lifted my bottle in acknowledgment. "I got what I need to keep warm right here." I patted the bottle affectionately, causing him to shake his head at me ever so slightly. He started to walk away, but something made him stop. He turned to look over his shoulder, as if he had something bothering him. _What__now?_ I thought. "Yeah?" I asked gruffly, not really caring to sugar coat anything else tonight.

He ran his hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable with what he wanted to say. "Don't take this the wrong way but... you're not just hanging around to get back with Rose, are you? I mean with the condition she's in-" I interrupted him before he could say anymore.

"I'm not an insensitive prick, Fire-Crotch. Nor am I completely stupid." My tone was harsh, but I couldn't help it. His question set me off. "I have no intentions of trying to get back with Rose. It wouldn't be good for either of us." I sighed, growing more and more in need of another bottle by the second, preferably something a bit stronger this time. "Not only do I know she could never love me, but even if she tried... If he came back, she'd go straight back to him. Try to deny it, we both know Rose." He nodded with a sad expression in his eyes. "So I'm here as moral support, as a friend. She needs someone to be there for her." I slugged down another shots worth of vodka, hissing ever so slightly as it burned its way down.

"She does have Lissa and me, you know." His tone caught me off guard, and my eyes flashed back to his face. Yep, definitely angry at me for insinuating that I was the only one there for Rose.

"I know that, Ye Olde Flamer, but she needs someone who understands what she's going through. Someone who knows the pain of being left for someone or something better than you in their eyes. Who better than me to understand that?" I lifted the bottle and finished it off. Christian looked about ready to say something, but realization hit his eyes. I could guess he was about to ask how I could understand what she was feeling but he realized Rose had just done basically the same thing to me. Maybe not quite as badly, but very close at least. "I'm gonna crash. Wake me if Rose needs anything." He nodded and headed for the stairs. "On second thought," I added and he glanced back at me, "wake me when she wakes. I don't care she needs anything or not." Sadness flashed in his eyes, but he nodded.

I curled up into a loose ball in my chair, using a cushion I had grabbed from another chair in the room as a pillow. I willed myself to sleep, but something inside me wouldn't unwind. My mind kept spinning with questions about everything that had happened today. _Why__ did __he__ leave?_ I wondered._ What__ made__ him__ go?__ Why __would__ he __do__ this __to __Rose? _Then the most important problem hit me. "What has Lissa done?" I whispered to myself. For a short time longer my brain kept running in the mini hamster wheel in my skull. But exhaustion took over and I fell into a deep, drunken slumber.

That is, I slept until the screaming started.

I jerked awake in my chair, shaken from the shock of such a quick awakening. My eyes searched the room, looking for the source of the wailing. My eyes hit the backside of the couch and it clicked into my brain like a key in a lock. I jumped up the chair, catching myself on the end table next to me as the world spun around me like I was the center of a spinning top. Stopping for only a moment to steady myself, I ran across the room and jumped over the couch, landing in front of a screaming Rose. She thrashed in her sleep; tears as steady as a waterfall were streaming down her cheeks. Her screams were interspersed with whimpers and cries; I could only catch a word here or there. Mostly I heard _his_ name. "Dimitri!" She gasped.

I placed my hand on her cheek, trying to sooth her pain, but it had an opposite effect. Somehow she knew I wasn't the one she longed for. She jerked away from my touch, crying harder than before. I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated at my situation. I did the only other I knew to do and shook her gently. "Rose…" I whispered. She didn't respond at first, and I increased the force of my shaking. "Rose." I said her name again, this time more insistent. She slowly began to stir, her tears coming to a crawl. Her eyes opened and, after a second, she focused on me.

"Adrian?" She whispered, sitting up and wiping her eyes. I shifted back onto my heels, giving her more room to move. I hadn't realized how close I had been to her until she had just tried to move.

"Yeah, Little Dhampir, it's me." I whispered. I was almost afraid of hurting her; I felt an insane need to be gentle with her. It threw me for a loop. Rose doesn't need protection, she protects everyone else. "You OK?" I asked, trying to check her mental state at the time being. I knew how I had reacted to her leaving me, but I didn't know how she would handle this kind of situation.

"Yeah," she said, but she didn't sound certain of it. She stretched a little, pulling her arms across her chest to relieve the sore spot I could guess she had; I was feeling a few of them myself. "Why do you ask?" She started on the arm, turning her head this way and that, cracking her neck. I couldn't explain why, but her wake up routine was fascinating me.

"You were screaming in your sleep, Little Dhampir." I tried to make my voice strong, but I couldn't. The thought of her in pain killed me, tore me apart inside. Having to see it first hand, that was my personal hell.

She looked up to my face briefly, dropping her arms to her sides. "It was nothing." She shrugged, shooting for nonchalance. "I had a nightmare is all." She stood slowly, taking time to stretch out the rest of her body as well. Halfway through her stretch, though she froze and then looked to me. "I dreamt that Dimitri had left me." She studied my face and must have found what she needed to affirm her suspicions. "It wasn't a dream, was it? He really did leave…" She sat back down, hanging her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Rose." I murmured. I felt so terrible for her; I didn't even know where to begin.

She looked shocked by my words. "You're sorry? I should be the one apologizing. I never realized how much I hurt you." She had tears in her eyes, and I started to speak. She held up hand, cutting off whatever I had to say. "No, I get it now. I hurt you really bad. And I'm sorry. I didn't realize how terrible a person I was. But he left, and that proves it. I get it now." She was crying, but I didn't stay soft on her. I went for brute force.

"Rosemarie Hathaway! Don't even go there!" I almost shouted. "He did not leave you because you're a terrible person; he left because he's a stupid asshole!" She tried to interrupt me, but I wouldn't allow it. "No Rose. I mean it. Any man who would leave you is not only stupid for doing so, but an asshole for wasting your time." She wore a look on her face that said she didn't quite believe it, but she appreciated the sentiment.

In an attempt to change the subject, I'd guess, she asked, "Where's everybody?" She looked around us, as if they might just pop up from nowhere. She turned back to me expectantly.

"In bed, I'd wager." I replied, shrugging. "Her Majesty," I could taste the venom in my voice, it was so thick, "went to bed not too long after you passed out there on the couch. Pyro went up shortly thereafter." I stood and walked toward the kitchen, hoping to score some more pain-inhibiting liquor. I heard her footsteps behind me, following me like a little lost puppy. If it weren't for the situation, I'd be ecstatic. Then again, if it weren't the situation, I also wouldn't be raiding the liquor. Again.

"You sounded like you're mad at Lissa. Why?" She inquired from behind me rummaged through Sparky's stash of mediocre booze.

"It's nothing, Little Dhampir. We just had a little... misunderstanding earlier." I fibbed, though it really wasn't quite a lie. Well, if you can change it from a little to a big misunderstanding. "We just don't see eye-to-eye on something. Nothing for you to worry about." I patted her cheek, trying to offer her what little comfort a drunk could. I turned back to the cabinet and spotted a bottle of Jack Daniels. I smiled and grabbed it. Taking a swig of the warm medicine, I looked to Rose with a questioning expression. "What do you wanna do now, Little Dhampir?"

She looked lost for a minute, and I knew she was thinking she'd like to run to Dimitri. It wouldn't do her any good, I'd wager, from what I had heard on the phone earlier. That mixed with how Lissa had responded proved he wasn't worth Rose's time. Hell, he wasn't worth anyone's. She looked up at me, her eyes pleading for me to grant her every wish. "Can we leave?" She asked simply. There were the beginnings of tears in her eyes. I couldn't understand why from her words, but, then again, she'd had a rough day. It was to be expected that she be a mess.

"Where do you wanna go? Home?" I asked, speaking gently.

Her eyes grew big and scared. She shook her head so hard; I almost thought it would pop right off. "No! Anywhere but there. I never want to go back to that place again." She whispered, her eyes on the floor. Her tone was frantic and scared, like it would shatter her completely if she had to go back to _their_ home.

"Then where Rose? There's not very many places we can go." I tried to sound reasonable. But the buzz was starting to build again, and I really wasn't prepared to taking care of her as much as I seemed to have to. She thought hard about it for several minutes, pacing back and forth. Every time she looked like she might have an idea, she would shake her head, dismissing it immediately. But when I began thinking I might be standing here, watching her for the rest of the day, she looked up at me with an almost authentic smile.

"Let's go to Baia."


	6. Fantasy Lover

**AN: **So you guys liked the story so far, huh? Couldn't tell from the pm's and reviews... JK. ^. ^ I really appreciate all that you guys do to keep me going. I never thought anyone would be as enthusiastic as you all are about this. Many thanks.

Now onto the story. But as much as I would love to do long POV's of Lissa **cough** BITCH **cough** or of Dimitri, they would give far too much of the story away far too quickly. I'll throw in bits and pieces but that's all I can give for now. Sorry. V.V

Oh, I posted in my profile a picture of what I believe the cast to look like (more or less, nothing's perfect). So if anyone's curious, check it out and tell me what you think.

**Warning: **This will be the first chapter with Mature content in it. I hate doing it cuz it breaks the flow of everything, but I will put ****mature**** at the beginning and the end of the section that it is in. It is sort of important in the story, but most should be ok if they skip it. ((By the way for those who read it, let me know what you think))

**Lissa's POV (LPOV) (**Starting just after the confrontation with Adrian. Not quite first person though, I can't exactly do her point of view, it's too weird. So I'm going to do it in third person omniscient.)

Lissa barely refrained from slamming the door to her room. How dare he threaten me? She thought, pacing the room in anger. She was the Queen! No one should be allowed to talk to her like that. She entertained the idea of throwing him in the royal prison here on Court, but quickly dismissed it. It would draw too much attention. She laughed bitterly, thinking back to what he had said to her. _"You're going to tell them. You'll confess what you've done."_ She laughed, shaking her head. How could he possibly find any logic in that?

_**"Because the guilt will eat at you. Their love for you will make you crack." **_He had told her. She shook her head at the nonsense. "Queen Valissa doesn't _crack_." She said to herself in a firm voice. Looking in her vanity, Lissa pushed her hair behind her ears, squaring her shoulders. She was sure of herself and knew that no one would ever find out why Dimitri left, if she had anything to do about it. Her fingers played over the skin of her face, trying to see what Dimitri could ever have seen in stupid, pathetic Rose that she didn't have to offer him. "You're much prettier than she is." She told her reflection. "She doesn't have your perfect hair, your slim waist, or your beautiful eyes." She flushed at her own compliments. Darkness was starting to toy with her mind a bit, and it was making her imagine it was Dimitri telling her all of those things. Her cheeks flushed, and she almost felt shy from it all.

"She didn't deserve him anyway." She half-shouted, suddenly stomping away to her dresser. She began sifting through her nightgowns. "She never could make him happy like I can. She couldn't give him the kind of pleasure I can." She had an almost evil glint in her eye as she pulled out her sexiest nightie. It was a silky and black baby-doll that split down the front, starting just after her breasts. She put on the matching thong, and crawled into the bed, laying out in the most seductive pose she could manage.

Not too long later, Christian came to bed. His eyes shot open wide when he took in the imagine of Lissa laying there before him, practically naked. "Hey there, Baby." He said, his voice husky with desire for her. If he'd been paying any attention, he'd have noticed something was wrong. She almost sounded bored when she replied.

"Hey there yourself. You coming to bed?" She ran her fingers down her leg, and let them trace a path back up her exposed inner thigh. She batted her eyelashes at him, keeping her head angled slightly down to look as though her eyes were drooping with lust. He walked to the foot of the bed, stopping just shy of touching her. "I was thinking," she purred, moving to the edge of the bed, relaxing into a sexy position at the foot of the bed. Her legs were folded underneath her butt, and she pulled her shoulders back to make her breasts look larger. "With all of this heartache going on, it's made me realize that we need to savor every moment we have." She ran her hands over his chest, causing him to sigh in contentment. "What do you think?" She whispered, breathing her question into his ear. 

****MATURE****

He couldn't manage a response. He couldn't resist her anymore. All the cares and worries of the day flew out of his mind as he climbed up onto the bed, pressing her down in a kiss. She was everything to him in this moment. It felt like he couldn't breathe without her. He couldn't seem to get close enough to her; he had to have her.

She moaned at the touch, but it wasn't his touch she was feeling. It was Dimitri's. Everywhere his hands moved, she felt Dimitri's hands caressing her. Felt his lips, not Christian's, on her mouth. He pulled her thong down, pushing it to her ankles. She felt his lips on hers, begging for entrance. She gave it to him and he slid a finger over her heated core, teasing her entrance. She moaned pleadingly into his mouth, silently begging him for more. She felt his lips curve into a smile and he plunged a finger into her. She cried out at his touch, her back arching. She bit her tongue to keep from crying out his name, because it wouldn't have been Christian she called to.

Gasping for breath, Lissa whispered, "Quit teasing me." She nipped at his ear, causing Christian to groan in ecstasy. "You know what I want." She purred, grinding her core against his hand. He pulled away from her, and she didn't know whether her sigh was from frustration or relief. It disgusted her to be touched by Christian, but as long as she kept her mind focused on Dimitri, she could get some pleasure from it.

Lissa began unbuttoning Christian's jeans, trying to seem like she just couldn't get enough of him. She repeated to herself that she was with Dimitri, making it much easier to be enthusiastic. The second his jeans and boxers were on the floor, he collapsed on top of her, grinding himself against her core. She groaned at his touch, keeping her eyes shut tight to help with her fantasy. She nipped his shoulder, urging him on. More than willing, Christian plunged himself into her heat, thrusting slowly inside of her. If only he knew whose cock she really felt during it all. They moved together, seemingly in balance with one another. He kissed her hard, growing close to his release. She nipped him again, crying out into his shoulder as she came. The pulsing of her heat and her cries threw him over the edge, bringing them down together in a gasping, sweaty mess on their sheets.

****END MATURE****

Lissa cuddled into Christian's chest, enjoying her post-sex high. He played with her hair, stroking her cheek lovingly. He sighed in contentment, as happy as he had ever been. She sighed in return, but her sigh was one of disappointment. She couldn't truly be happy with Christian, not anymore. Not after she had sampled the ecstasy a Russian god could give.

They lay there together, both drifting off to sleep. But in her mind, She was somewhere else, wrapped in Dimitri's arms.


	7. A Compassionate Charge

**AN: **So... you guys aren't very happy with our Queen, huh? Ooopsie! Well, don't worry, I promised an R/D story and that's what I'll deliver. All y'all need to be patient for it to happen though. I need to know though, which do you, my fans, prefer? Short chapters but quick updates, or long chapters and longer update times? Let me know!

And I'm a Google translate person, but I highly doubt very many people reading this know Turkish or Russian, but if I do something wrong and you're able to translate it properly, let me know! Anything in another language will have it in English in bold right after. I know I hate having to go to the bottom of the page to see what everyone is saying. LOL Plus, if anyone thinks I'm not portraying the country well, I've never been to Turkey, so let me know and I'll work on it.

Here's the character's as I see them, I know I have it on my profile, but I added an OC that I added into this chapter.

and I guess I'll let you in on some things this chapter, I wanted to wait a bit longer, but I think you guys might kill me if I don't.

**DPOV**

I wore my toughest guardian mask as I was led out of the Ataturk airport in Istanbul. Guardian Cooper was leading, making me slow my pace to match his. He wasn't a short man or anything, he was of average height and build for a guardian, but being a 6'7'' Russian makes it hard to find someone who walks at your speed. He was talking all about my new charge, but I wasn't really listening. I didn't care much for this new assignment, but then again who could really blame me? I missed the love of my life, the light of my world that I had left carelessly behind me at Court. But I kept my head held high, playing the attentive and astute guardian. They expected no less from me, and Belikovs don't disappoint.

We stopped at a car parked at the street, and Guardian Cooper handed me a set of keys and a small slip of paper. He turned away from me abruptly after that, disappearing back into the airport. I stared after him for a moment, realizing just how much I hadn't been paying attention to him. I had no idea where I was supposed to be going or who I was to be guarding. It was completely unlike me; I was usually so focused on everything that was going on around me. I turned to the car, walking to the driver's side door. Sighed with relief when the keys opened the door; knowing my luck, they could have been house keys and I would have been up a creek without a paddle. In the middle of Turkey. Damn.

Settling into the driver's seat, I pulled the door shut behind me and took three slow breaths. _I ca__n do this,_ I tell myself. _I can go on with my life without her in it._ But my heart broke into smaller sharps even as I thought of it. She's my life, no doubt about it. But I am Guardian Dimitri Belikov. I have to keep going. I began to repeat it, over and over again, that this is all for the best. That I had to leave her. Maybe someday, I might believe it.

I unfolded the slip of paper Guardian Cooper had handed me, revealing the address of my new charge. It was in a small town in Silivri. I punched to destination into the GPS on the dash, and it spit out the directions. It'd take just a little less than an hour to get there from where I was now, and the sun would be going down not too long after that. Squaring my shoulders, I pulled out of the parking space, driving out towards E80. It would be almost a straight shot down the highway to meet this person I knew nothing about. I really was beginning to wish I had read the file on the plane ride over. Or at least listened to Guardian Cooper.

Less than ten minutes into the ride, I grew tired of the silence. Left alone with my thoughts, I kept drifting back to Montana, thinking of the love lost there. I flicked on the radio, scanning through the channels one by one. The first one that came through loud and clear was filled with the music she listened to. I could almost hear her singing along, laughing at me for wanting to change it to my kind of music. I really didn't see the appeal of this nonsense coming through the speakers, but I didn't change the station. It made me feel closer to her, and yet so far away at the same time. Over the next hour, as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop a few tears that fell on the steering wheel as I drove farther and farther away from her.

I pulled up in front of large house with white siding. It held a very homey air to it, and it warmed me. The garden out front was done up nicely, making wonder if my charge was an Earth user. Putting the car into park, I sighed, knowing I couldn't put it off any longer. I stepped out of the car into the chilly air. I tried not to let it feel foreboding as I walked towards my future. I was stuck here in Silivri, Turkey, for who knows how long. I might as well make it as comfortable stay as possible. I walked up the steps to the house, knocking on the front door firmly, hoping he/she was home. _Damn_, I thought to myself. _I don't even know whether my charge is a man or a woman. Focus, Belikov!_

"Gel! Ben mutfakta!" _**Come in! I'm in the kitch**__**en!**_ I heard a woman's voice come through the door, though it was muffled quite a bit. I opened the door slowly, not wanting to shock the poor woman. I didn't know what she looked like, and I doubted they'd shown her a picture of me. Closing the door behind me quietly, I remained in the foyer, standing there awkwardly. I'd never had a charge I hadn't met before; I didn't exactly know how to approach the subject. But she came around the corner a moment later, probably thinking I hadn't let myself in. She shrieked in surprise, dropping the glass bowl she was carrying. _Damn stealth_, I cursed myself. I really needed to learn to make some noise when I moved. She took a fighting stance, forgetting the shattered bowl and food that covered the linoleum. Fire surrounded her hand, proving not only was she a Moroi, but she definitely would use her magic to defend herself if she needed to. Her hair was a deep brown, almost black, and even though my heart was elsewhere, I could admit she was very pretty. She looked about 20 years old or so, and had skin that was tan for a Moroi. She sort of reminded me of the Zmey, but I pushed the thought out of my head.

"Sen kimsin?Ne istiyorsun?"_**Who are you? What do you want?**_ I put my hands up in front of me, trying to go for a soothing gesture. I stayed where I was though; I knew my size tended to make people a little edgy.

"Ben Guardian benim yeni suçlama için arıyorum." _**I'm Guardian Belikov. I'm looking for my new charge. **_I took a slow step forward, keeping my hands up in front of me. I let my guardian's mask slip a little, trying for a gentle expression. "Onu musunuz?" _**Are you her? **_She blinked slowly, and the fire on her hand disappeared. She seemed to be placated by that, though something else seemed to puzzle her.

"Onlar Türkçe konuşuyordu bana sö Bu arada, oldukça iyidir." _**They didn't tell me you spoke Turkish. Yours is pretty good, by the way. **_She smiled a friendly grin at me, taking a step forward to offer her hand. I tried to warn her, but she moved too fast and her foot came down on the broken bowl pieces. Stumbling, she fell into me, but I caught and steadied her. She spit out a few choice cuss words that I didn't quite catch. I'd never bothered to learn them when learning the language, unlike someone I knew that was completely convinced that those were the first words you should learn.

Lifting her off her feet, I carried her into the kitchen, setting her on the table. She pulled her foot up to her, trying to inspect the damage. "Bir ilk yardım seti var mı?" _**Do you have a first aid kit?**_ I asked, starting to browse through her drawers and cabinets.

"It's under the sink, on the left." I glanced over my shoulder at her, only to find her grinning at me. She answered my unspoken question. "Of course I speak English. You just hadn't given me the chance yet." I shook my head, grabbing the kit. I found a bowl as well, filling it about half way full with water from the faucet. I sat down in a chair and pulled her foot into my lap.

"I'm sorry about this." I apologized, opening the kit and retrieving a pair of small forceps.

"For what?" She asked. "I was the one who dropped the bowl; it's not your fault." She smiled at me, trying not wince as I starting picking out pieces of glass from her foot. I pulled out two or three more before answering, dropping them all in the bowl beside her on the table.

"I scared you. I didn't mean to; Rose tells me all the time I need to make more noise when I move." I spoke with a wistful tone, remembering the good times I'd had in Montana before everything in my life had shattered. _It's your fault, Belikov,_ a voice whispered from inside me. _No one will pity you after what you've done. _My face must have given my thoughts away, because she was staring at me with a curious expression. I quickly changed the subject; this was not something I wanted to discuss with a complete stranger. "So, what's your name, anyway?" I asked, trying for casual. She seemed to see right through it, but didn't press the issue. I silently thanked her for that.

"They didn't tell you who you were guarding?" She inquired her tone one of disbelief. "I would have thought they would've given you a –Shit! That hurts!" She gasped as I pulled a particularly large piece out of her big toe. I smiled my sorry at her and waited for her to continue. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Given you a file or something. Something for you study, so you'd know me when you got here. Or at least –Ow! - someone would have told you everything." She panted a little from the pain, and I grimaced with her. I hated to see a woman in pain. Ever since I was young, I haven't been able to stand it.

"They did both, actually. I think I have all the pieces out," I said, turning her foot this way and that, making sure I had. I picked up a bottle from the kit, opening it. I caught a strong whiff of alcohol from it. Holding the bowl under her foot and the bottle over it, I said, "This'll hurt. Take a deep breath." I waited for her to do so, and poured alcohol down her foot. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, and I grinned at her. "You're strong, that's good to know. Now breathe." I instructed as I wrapped her foot in gauze. "Good as new. Well, sort of, I guess."

She chuckled at my attempt at humor. "Thanks. So," I started, sliding herself off the table, "if they gave everything to know me, why don't you?" She was very smart, I'd give her that. I shrugged, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"I've been… distracted lately." I answered lamely. I really didn't want to get into this. I wanted to walk away from her, but I really didn't know I where I could go at this point.

"Too distracted to read about your charge? Well that's great." She stomped- er, limped- off in the direction of the front door, huffing in irritation as she went. I followed after her, stopping her when she bent to clean up the mess she'd made. "What?" She snapped. "Someone has to clean this mess up." She gestured to the pile food and glass angrily.

I sighed, pulling her away from the mess. I pushed her gently toward the couch behind us, and luckily, she sat down. She didn't look happy about it, but at least we'd gotten that far. "I'm sorry, ok? I'll clean everything up, you just sit and let your foot rest." I didn't give her a chance to respond before I fled to the kitchen, searching for the broom. Grabbing it from behind the refrigerator, I secured my guardian's mask, and returned to the foyer.

For a few moments, all there was heard was our breathing and the swish of the broom on the floor. But I had a feeling she wouldn't stay silent for long. She just didn't seem the type. "So, gonna explain anytime soon?" _Ah, sweet silence. How I miss thee_. I thought sarcastically. I turned to look at her, keeping my face as expressionless as possible.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I lied, turning back to the task at hand. I came here with the slightest of hopes that I could forget everything back west, but I'd seemed to have found a match for Rose's stubbornness. I felt my patience waning by the second, but I was desperately clinging to it. I had no where else to go but here; I needed this assignment to work and be pleasant.

She huffed, and I thought I heard her cross her arms angrily across her chest. "You know exactly what I mean, Belikov. I've heard about you. You're supposed to be the best there is." She surprised me with her tone; she sounded disbelieving. I stopped myself from claiming that I was the best. "But here you are, and you don't even know your charge's name. What gives, Belikov?" Something snapped inside me; I spun around to face her.

"What?" I cried, dropping the broom and shrugging my shoulders in desperation. "Am I not allowed to have problems of my own?" I couldn't help it; I turned sarcastic. I leaned against the wall defiantly, daring her to challenge me. "Oh, I forgot. _They come first_, right? I'm not allowed to be human and have my own issues. I'm sorry. I'll get right on reading about you. That's what's important." I stomped off, heading off to the car to retrieve the file of her information. I made it as far as the door before she jumped in front of me. I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for what she had to say. She surprised me once again, this time with a gentle expression.

"What's going on, Belikov?" She whispered. She continued by offering me comfort. "You can tell me what's bothering you. I know you don't know me very well, if at all, but sometimes talking about it helps." She patted me on the shoulder consolingly, and something inside gave way, forcing me to trust her. I hadn't expected someone to be kind to me. I needed this right, I realized. I had to explain what happened, even if it was to a complete stranger.

"I screwed up really bad." I started, walking back to the couch, hanging my head in my hands. "I had the best thing in this world. Love. I had the most beautiful woman that's ever lived, and I've lost her." I was talking mostly to myself. I hadn't forced myself to relive all the events that had led up to this. It all ran through my head now of its own accord.

_It was early in the vampire afternoon. I was alone at home, having been given the night off by Christian. I was watching an old Clint Eastwood western, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and I was just about half way through the movie when Lissa texted me. **Dimitri, I need your help.** I sent her a response, curious as to why she wasn't asking for Christian's help. **Where's Christian? I'm sure he could help you. **A few minutes passed, and I started to get settled back into my movie. I sighed when the tone sounded, alerting me that I had another text. **He's out with Rose. I need you. **I sighed again, grabbing the remote and turning off my movie. Stretching as I stood, I grabbed my stake from the coffee table and headed out the door._

_I walked quickly to Lissa and Christian's, not wanting to keep her waiting if it was something important. I knocked on the door loudly, waiting for her to come let me in. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket when it rang again. **Come on in, Dimitri. I'm upstairs. **I let myself in, shaking my head. I had a feeling that she was going to be a bit of handful today. _

_I climbed the staircase, looking absentmindedly at the pictures on the wall as I passed each one. They all showed Lissa and Christian, happy and smiling. Some were here at court, others back at St. Vladimir's, and still others from places they had traveled to recently since Lissa had been crowned queen. But something made me stop and study the pictures. Was it my imagination or did Lissa seem less happy in the more recent pictures? In the earlier ones, she wore a smile of a lovesick woman, but in the others, she almost looked to be forcing her smiles. I shook my head, telling myself I was imagining things. When I hit the top of the staircase, I called out to her. _

_"Lissa? Where are you?"_

_I heard her voice drift to me from down the hall. "I'm in my room, Dimitri." Something in the back of my mind told me to turn around and leave, but I ignored it. Lissa was a friend, as well as Rose's charge. By association, she was my charge as well, most days. I had no reason to not trust her. I pushed the door to her room. I froze where I stood. She was laying out on her bed, wearing only a black bra and panties. She was laying against the headboard, her legs bent back towards her. She batted her eyes seductively at me, leaning forward towards me._

"_What do you think, Dimitri?" She crooned, giving me what must have been her attempt at a 'Come hither' look. "I got all nice and dressed up just for you." She gestured to her, um, outfit, and ran a hand slowly down her stomach. I grabbed her hand, stopping it before she could move it any closer to her nether regions. _

_****MATURE****_

"_Stop this." I whispered, pulling her up so we were closer to being eye-to-eye. She still didn't come close though. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Your Highness, but I'm sure we can help you. We get can get Rose, and-" I was growing more and more anxious as the moments passed. All I needed was for Christian to come home and find me here. She interrupted me before I could explain how to help her. _

"_I don't want help. I want you." She grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me down on top of her, kissing me hard. In that instant, I forgot about everything else in the world. She was all that mattered, and I had to have my hands on her. I pushed her down, kissing her fiercely, gaining a moan from deep within her chest. My hand found her small breast, squeezing and teasing her nipple between my calloused fingers. She whimpered at my touch, causing me to groan into her mouth. I pulled away, forcing another whimper to work its way free from her. I moved my mouth to her earlobe, nibbling along its edge. _

"_What do you wish me to do, my lovely queen?" I murmured, running my tongue lightly along her ear. I felt her shudder beneath me, and I smiled. What in the world could be better than being right now with her. Somewhere in my mind, a little voice tried to answer my rhetorical question, but I pushed him away. There was nothing that could be more perfect than this moment, here with the most beautiful woman lying beneath me._

"_Please, Dimitri. I want you to fuck me." She purred, sending shivers up my spine. Lissa never cussed, __so now that she did in such a seductive voice, it drove me wild. "Please, Dimitri. I need you." She pleaded, wiggling her body beneath mine, trying to gain the friction she was craving. _

_I chuckled, pulling back to look at her. "But why rush it when we can drag this out all night?" I offered, sliding down he body, letting my fingers leave a heated path on her skin. When I was level with her core, I stopped moving, trying to find a comfortable position. Hooking my fingers in her panties, I started to pull them off of her. _

_"Wh-what are you doing?" She stammered, lifting her head off the bed to look down at me with a startled expression. I just laughed, shaking my head at her. Even though she seemed apprehensive, she lifted her hips to allow me to pull them completely off. I took just a short moment to admire the beauty before me before I pushed her hips back down to the bed, holding them tight and relatively still. She whimpered, causing me to look up at her as I made my first lick across her lips. She moaned in pleasure, driving me to lick again and again._

_It wasn't long before her moaning turned to quick, breathless panting. She was thrusting her hips, involuntarily I would guess, against mouth, trying to find her release. I waited as long as I could, drawing out her pleasure to the maximum height, and just as she was about to cum, I thrust two of my fingers into her wet, clenching core. She screamed out in ecstasy, so loud it was almost painful. Her juices covered my hand, which I licked off slowly, savoring her taste. _

_I sat up, letting her catch her breath as I undid the buttons on my jeans. I pulled my cock out into my hand, not messing with taking off all of my clothes. I just wanted to be inside of her. She caught my eye and grinned at me, silently telling me she was ready for me. I pulled her roughly to me by her legs, lining myself up at her entrance. She bucked her hips, trying to start up the sweet friction once more. "Patience, Love." I chided, before I grabbed hold of her and plunged deep into her wet heat. I couldn't help the groan the escaped me. She was so warm and wet around my cock; I could almost explode right then. But I was a guardian, and I had control. _

_I moved slowly inside her, not wanting to hurt her small body with my size. But it wasn't but a minute before pulled me down for a kiss, demanding against my lips, "Stop teasing me, Dimitri. I want it hard." I had never heard her speak like this. So forceful, yet so completely sexy; I gave into her demand. I thrust into her as hard as I could, making her scream in delight. She gripped my shoulders, urging me on. With each thrust of my hip she screamed, growing louder and louder as I went. She started to tighten around me, telling me she was about to cum. "Cum for me, Lissa." I whispered. Her wetness clamped down around me, and she threw her head back in orgasm. I gave it one, two, and a final thrust and I spilled myself inside her._

_****MATURE ENDED****_

_We lay there panting, covered in sweat. She kissed me sweetly, and I smiled happily against her lips. She nuzzled her face dreamily into my neck, making me wish this moment would never end. But alas, all things must._

_We both jumped as we heard the front door open and close. She shot me a panicked look, and together we whispered, "Christian!" She pushed me off of her, causing me to tumble not so gracefully onto the floor. She ran towards her master bathroom, grabbing clothes to cover herself as she went. Halfway there, she tuned to me with the same panicked look in her eyes._

_"What are you waiting for? Get out of here!" She whisper-shouted. I looked around the room, shrugging at my lack of escape routes. "Out the window, of course!" She shoved me at the window,_

_opening it for me. If I hadn't have been so caught off guard by Christian's arrival, I might have been able to think for myself. She shoved me again, growing more and more frightened as the time passed. I heard a creak on the stairs, warning me that he was coming closer. Without looking back, I climbed up and out of the window, bracing myself for the impact. I hit the ground with a quite thud, and I looked back to see her closing the window and blinds. _

_As I stood up from the crouch I had landed in, everything that had just __happened__ hit me full force. It was like a cloud that had been blocking my judgment had suddenly dissipated. I had sex with Lissa! Oh dear god, what had I done? Not only had I cheated on Rose, but with her best friend to boot! I stumbled toward the alley behind their house, trying to find my bearings and head for home. But I took three steps and had to stop. Everything that had just happened replayed itself in my mind. The feeling of her touch, the way she smelled and tasted. How I had felt while we were doing what we did. How, not once, did Rose ever come into my mind. I fell to my knees, vomiting everything in my stomach all over the ground, tears of disgust and pain steaming down my cheeks. _

I looked back to my charge, expecting to see the same disgust I felt for myself mirrored on her face. But she shocked me with the compassion and pity she wore. She looked so saddened by what I had told her, having not spared her a detail. "Why aren't you disgusted?" I asked, morbidly curious. She had heard what I had done, and yet she looked as if she pitied me, of all people. She should pity Rose, she's the one who had been wronged by all of this. And Christian too, for that matter.

She smiled a sad, gentle smile. "You were compelled, Belikov. Isn't it obvious?" She placed her hand consolingly on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. The last thing I wanted was to be touched.

"That doesn't make it any better!" I hadn't realized how upset I was; I had shouted at her. When I continued, I made sure to keep my voice level. "I should have been able to control myself, to fight the compulsion. I didn't have to give into it." I hated myself for not fighting, for not even thinking of fighting her in the first place.

"I've heard that Queen Valissa uses spirit. I've head about them. You can't fight their compulsion." Her words should have consoled my broken soul, but they only caused me more pain. She was being too nice about all this. I wish she would just hate me like I hate myself. It would make life just that much easier.

"That doesn't matter. I still should have fought it. I should have left the room the moment I came in, and not let myself be in that situation." I shook my head, drowning in my self-loathing. "We knew she would grow unstable from the spirit. I shouldn't have let her get that close to me. In the end, it is all my fault." I said decisively. I couldn't be given any leeway to doubt it. I had to hate myself; it was all I knew to do.

"Why didn't you tell Rose?" She pondered, still shooting sympathetic looks at me.

"Why do you think?" I retorted, heavily lacing my voice with sarcasm. "Lissa is her best friend. She wouldn't have ever believed me over her." I laughed ironically, having forgotten one other part of the tragedy that was my life. "I tried to tell Lissa we could get her help. But she told me she didn't want it. She liked the way she was. And," I shook my head, remembering the worst part of it all, "when I confronted her about what we had done, she informed me that she only had to make one little call and everyone would believe I had raped her. That she never wanted any of it, and that I was probably turning back into a Strigoi." I hung my head again, wondering when my life had fallen so far apart. Oh, right. Just when I started being happy. I forgot.

My charge gasped, completely shocked by my newest revelation. "You should have told Rose! She would have believed you!" She seemed appalled that I hadn't done so. Almost so much so that you'd think I had done her a personal injustice.

"How can you be so sure of that?" I murmured, not really wanting to hear anything that might poke holes into my flawless guilt.

"She loves you!" I flinched at how loud she was shouting at me now. I couldn't believe she was so caught up in all of this. Maybe I shouldn't have told her and just kept wallowing in it alone. "That alone means she would have believed you."

"It doesn't matter. What's done is done." I said, making my tone say that there was no debate. The conversation was over. I wouldn't talk about this anymore, I couldn't live with myself if I did. I looked to her and her eyes told me that she would let the subject drop, but only for now. I sighed. Why couldn't I just be left to move on? I didn't want to dwell on my actions. They were to painful. Besides, the end result would be the same. I had lost Rose, and I wasn't going to ever get her back. I didn't deserve her anymore, if I ever had to begin with.

We stood there, silently staring at nothing in particular for some time; how long though, I wasn't sure. When she suddenly sighed, I turned to look at her in surprise. She had taken to grabbing my bags and had started towards the back of the house with them. I grabbed the bags from her without saying anything, and I trotted along with her, slowing myself to match her pace. "We might as well get you moved in." She stated, though she didn't look at me. I think she was trying to contain herself in order not to force the subject. Of that, I would be eternally grateful. She stopped at a room at the very end of her hallway, pushing the door open wide. "This'll be your room. I'm at the very end." She paused, looking like she very much needed to same more, but she didn't. Again, I was more than grateful.

I stepped inside my new room, pretending to take it all in. I faked staring at the walls and the drapes, trying to seem interested. I didn't want to be rude. She was, after all, my new charge. I had to be gracious of her hospitality. "I'm gonna go finish making dinner. I'll call you when it's ready." I nodded absently as I sat down on the bed, dropping the bags at my feet. I dropped my head back into my hands, running my fingers through my hair. "Dimitri?" I looked up to find the door almost closed, her head just barely sticking back into the room. "My name's Natalia, by the way. Natalia Mazur." And with that, she shut the door, leaving me to be alone.


	8. Author's Note: To My Beloved Fans

Hey there everyone, this is Hisbabygirl091309.

I know, I hate these things too… I just couldn't leave you guys hanging anymore. I just wanted to say that I haven't forgotten about this story. I've just been super busy lately, what with Thanksgiving and such. Then I came back here (my college) and this week is finals. I've just been swamped. But I do wanna say thanks for all the reviews you guys leave, and it really does keep me going. I'm gonna try to get something up soon, but I won't promise it, because I leave campus tomorrow for Christmas break (YAY!) and I won't be back on campus til the 9th of Jan. If I don't get anything up before then, expect to see something around the week of the 9th. Thanks guys!

Something fun to keep things going….

I'd love to hear where you all think the story is going to go. And if you all have any suggestions for me or fun ideas for the story! I could work them in, you never know!

BTW: I will delete this when the next chapter comes up... I just hate when authors leave these things in...


	9. Away to the Foreign Land

**AN**: SO WOW! I can personally say I do NOT wanna be Lissa right now. You all would be cutting me up into little pieces and hiding them all over the world. Wow...

Also, thanks for being patient. I know you all probably wanted to see what happened next, but with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and finals, it has taken so much longer than I planned to get this chapter up.

**Important!** For the sake of this chapter, I just wanted to tweak the story Richelle wrote just a little. I think (it's been a while) when Rose left Russia after being caught with Dimitri for so long, she had gotten a chance to see some of the Belikov's and Mark and Oksana before going back to the USA (the Avery situation, I think). But in this, she staked him, or so she thought, and just went back to Lissa. So pretty much Avery never mattered at all. It just flows better this way. But everything else (unless I note otherwise) is the same as how she originally wrote it.

Now back to Rose and Adrian!

**APOV**

_But when I began thinking I might be standing here, watching her for the rest of the day, she looked up at me with an almost authentic smile._

_"Let's go to Baia."_

I stared blankly at her, wondering if I had heard her correctly. "Where do you want go, Little Dhampir?" I asked, hoping she would tell me I was wrong.

"Baia." She repeated, wearing a ghost of a smile on her lips. "It's in Russia." She offered and I rolled my eyes at her.

"I know where Baia is, Little Dhampir." I scoffed at her, looking into her eyes_._ "But why do you want to go all the way to Russia?" I questioned her, hoping she wouldn't say what I thought that she would.

"Dimi-His family lives there." She tripped over his name, though I didn't blame her for it. It had been hard for me when she left; I couldn't imagine what it felt like to lose your true love. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She really did amaze me; she was just so strong. By now, I had already crawled deep inside my whiskey bottle. "I want to visit all of them. I miss them." She said, though I still couldn't help but wonder if she had other ulterior motives in going there.

"Rose," she glanced up sharply at me when I called her by her real name, "are you sure you don't want to go to Baia just to chase him down?" I kept my tone as soft as possible, but even I heard the spark of disapproval in it. "It won't help anything; it won't bring him back here." I whispered, wishing she'd reconsider.

"Actually," she started, her tone harsh and short, surprising me, "I want to see his family. He won't be there. I just know it." She stared firmly at me, as if she were challenging me to contradict her. "He would have said he were going home if he had been. I don't know he is," she continued dismissively, "but it's not in Russia. That I'm sure of."

I shook my head at her. "How do you know that for sure?" As much as I wanted to trust and believe her, that last thing I wanted was to show up at the Belikov's and find a Russian bastard there with them. I pressed on, trying to decide if we could be sure. "Is there a way you could check?" I hoped she would say she didn't have a way to be sure, because then I could tell her we wouldn't be going.

She sighed, and stomped away from me for a moment. She came back a minute or so later, holding a half-empty water bottle. She offered it to me, and I assumed she had already drank the first half. I took it from her, downing the rest. I hadn't realized how thirsty I really was. It was probably because of all the alcohol last night; I was dehydrated beyond belief.

She pulled her phone out of my pocket, half-molesting me in the process, and started repeatedly hitting buttons. I tried looking over her shoulder to see what she was doing, but she shrugged me off. She must have found what she was looking for though, because she hit the call button, with a bit more force than was probably needed, might I add. She pressed the speaker button next, and I listened to the phone begin to ring. She tapped her foot impatiently, seemingly becoming more irritated with each second that passed.

"Алло?" **"Hello?"** A male voice came over, his tone sounding a bit confused. _I would be too if I saw an American number come up on my phone when I was all the way in B.F.E. Russia. _I thought to myself, somewhat sarcastically.

"Марк? Это Роза." **"Mark? It's Rose."** I felt my expression change to shock as I heard Rose speak Russian. I had never thought that she had picked up anything from the Russian. It always seemed to tick her off whenever he spoke it and wouldn't tell her what he had said. _Was that all a facade on her part?_ I wondered.

This Mark fellow didn't hide his enthusiasm or shock at hearing from our Rose. "Роза? Когда сделал вы учиться русский?" **"Rose? When did you learn Russian?** He asked, causing Rose to frown. I took from her expression that she had just about used up her Russian with the last phrase. It made me smirk because in his excitement, Mark began to ramble at her, deepening her frown. "Но что более важно, где ты был? Ты в порядке? Мы были обеспокоены больной! Мы боялись, что он нашел вас. Ну, не так много Ева, но..." **"But more importantly, where were you? Are you okay? We were worried sick! We were afraid that he found you. Well, not so much Yeva, but..." **By this point I was fighting to stay upright as laughs wracked my body because of Rose's confused glare.

"Mark, slow down." She interjected. She looked frustrated as well as confused now, but I wasn't sure what was causing her frustration. "I have no idea what you just said; I used up all my Russian already in just saying 'hi'. Well, except: Где находится туалет? **Where is the bathroom? **But yeah. My point is, I have no idea what you said." She had one hand on her hip, and she was glaring at the cell phone in her hand. She seemed to be growing more and more impatient as the seconds ticked slowly by. Mark laughed openly on the other end of the call, causing me to have to control my own laughter for my own safety. She couldn't hit him; he was all the way out in Russia. But she should as hell could hit me if the mood struck. He repeated his questions, this time in good old English. Rose sighed, probably having known those questions would come up at some point.

"I'm fine, Mark. I'm back in the States; I went back home after I had finished what I needed to do. I'm sorry I worried all of you," she seemed to think for a moment. Worry of her own crossed her face and she added, "Olena and Vika and everyone don't hate me for running off, do they?" She seemed scared by this, but again she had thrown me for another loop. Rose was never scared by anything, yet the idea of Belikov's family hating her did just that. Why?

Mark came across the phone with a soothing, sympathetic tone. "Of course they don't, Rose. They've been worried sick about you though. When you just disappeared, we all assumed the worst. Viktoria was especially torn up about it all." Rose sighed, and I thought I saw tears in her eyes. But as soon as seen, they were gone. Mark pressed on, asking what I would have the minute she had called. "Not that I'm not happy to hear from you Rose," he paused, thinking of a way to phrase his question, "but why are you calling?"

Rose steadied her shoulders and answered him evenly. "I needed to know if Dimitri had been through Baia." I could feel the strain it put on her to talk about him, but she was Rose, strong as ever before. Only in her eyes could I see her pain, but she held onto her resolve. I just wished she wouldn't. I only wished she would just let him go, but then again, who was I to talk? I still hadn't let her go, not matter the face I put on for everyone.

Mark's voice held a tone of surprise, marred only lightly by disapproval. "No, Rose, he hasn't been by here. But you know as well as I do that you need to let that go. If you come back here looking for him, you'll end up dead, or worse. I'm surprised you survived the first trip to be honest." I hated how brutal he was being, but I had to admit, he was completely right. She was lucky the first time she went to Baia. She shouldn't have been able to walk out of Russia, at least in daylight. But from the way it sounded, Mark had no idea Dimitri had been restored. And if he didn't maybe, just maybe, the Belikovs probably didn't know either. Maybe this trip might not be as bad as I had thought moments ago. "Now Rose," Mark continued, his voice stern and holding the tone one might use for a younger sister or someone they cared strongly about, "don't you even think about coming back here again. Some how you made it last time, but-"

Rose interrupted him before he could continue to warn her. "It's fine Mark. I'm over that." She wasn't lying exactly, I could tell, but she wasn't exactly going to tell him the truth of everything either. "But I am coming back to Baia. See you when we get there." She moved her fingers over to the end button, just as Mark tried to say something else. But she pressed it anyway, chuckling to herself. "Bye Mark." She shut her phone, looking expectantly at me. "Well?" She asked, knowing I would understand her unspoken question. She handed me back my phone and I shoved it into my pocket.

I wished I could stall for time, not letting her know the conclusion I had come to. But if I was anything, I was a giant softie when it came to her. "We'll go to Baia." She grinned a dazzling smile at me, even though it didn't hold as much of the usual warmth that her smiles usually did. I amended my statement, putting a stipulation on our trip there. "We'll go to Baia," I started, and her grin faded ever so slightly, knowing I had rules. "But if he so much as passes through Russia, we're leaving. I won't let him hurt you any more." She rolled her eyes at me, but I pressed on. "I'm serious Rose." That right there shut her up. I had now called her by her real name twice in one day. I don't think she had ever seen me this serious. Or this sober, at least as of late.

"Fine. He shows, we go." She said in a sigh, and I was relieved. I thought she would have put up more of a resistance, but maybe it was everything that had happened. She just didn't have the energy to fight today, I'd guess. "Well," she started when I didn't say anything more after a moment or two, "are we gonna get going or what?" She crossed her arms over her chest in a very Rose-like move, making me smile at her.

"You wanna go now?" I asked, not really sure of what else to say. I was still a bit in shock over the fact that I would be traveling to Russia, let alone immediately. "What about Fireboy and _Lissa_?" I tried to keep the malice and hatred out of my voice when I mentioned the bitch's name, but I don't know how well I pulled it off. Rose looked at me with questioning eyes, but she didn't ask me about it, for which I was grateful. I don't know if I could lie to her, especially about Lissa. I might be able to keep my mouth shut, but if she made open it even a centimeter, everything would come running out. She just shrugged away my question, and I let it drop. I'd leave Sparky a note or something so he wouldn't worry. I obviously didn't care what our dear queen thought, but again, I couldn't mention that to Rose. "Okay, but we'll need to pack then." Immediately, the fear popped back into her eyes.

"No." She whimpered, and I swear she could have been shaking. "I don't want to pack. Can't we just leave?" She was starting to sound frantic, and it was scaring the hell out of me. There were so many emotions coming from Rose today that I had never seen before, I didn't even know where to start. "I mean," she continued, oblivious to the inner turmoil she was causing for me, "you still have all that money right? We could just buy new clothes, couldn't we? We don't need to pack." She was looking at me with a hopeful expression, and I wanted nothing more than to assuage her fears. Then it hit me.

"You just don't want to go back home, do you?" My voice was soft and gentle, knowing if I pressed too hard I could shatter her. She looked away from me, proving Rose was still in there somewhere. Even at her worst, she hated showing people just how bad she was hurting. I pulled her face back to look me straight on, and I almost died when I saw tears in her eyes. I wiped one away with my thumb, and said, "I'll go and get your things. You don't have to go back there you're ready, okay?" She pushed out a weak smile and nodded feebly for me. "I'll always take care of you, Little Dhampir. Always." I whispered, giving her a short kiss on the forehead.

Several hours later, though it felt like an eternity to me without any alcohol, Rose and I were finding our seats on flight 498. I'd gotten lucky in booking our flight; there had only been two seats left in First Class, and I obviously couldn't accept anything but the best for Rose (and well, that's what I get for growing up Royal). Rose snagged the window seat, which was fine by me; I didn't really care to watch as we flew over countries I had already seen, plus I could grab the stewardess as she passed later for some alcohol.

Rose didn't say much as we took off, besides reminding me to buckle up. I left her to her thoughts, though I couldn't be sure if that was the best option. Would it have been wiser to make her talk it out? I couldn't say. But she didn't try to start up any conversation, so I didn't press either. I settled on giving her time. Maybe that would help her process everything that happened. I watched as another wave of exhaustion began to take over Rose's body. Her eyes began to droop, her body slumping in her seat. We had barely been in the air an hour and she was out like a light. I shook my head lightly, sliding down a little in my seat to comfortable.

"Would you like anything, sir?" I opened my eyes, having begun to drift off just a tad, and looked up to find a very pretty little stewardess bent down to be eye level with me. She had a sparkling smile, and it took me a second to respond. I had to remind myself that she smiled like that for everyone on this plane and every other one she had and would work on. _I need to get a girl._ I thought sadly. _If a silly smile has me fumbling... _"I'd like a drink if possible." She nodded and turned back to the small metal cart she was pushing. "As strong as you got." I said, watching her grab for a bottle. She lifted it onto the top of the cart, making to pour me a glass. "I'll take the whole bottle if that's alright."

She shot a look at me that said she thought I was crazy for wanting the whole bottle, but handed it to me anyway. When my eyes caught the label, I could understand why. It was Russian vodka, and one of the stronger brands at that. "What about the Misses? Will she be needing anything?" She asked, gesturing to Rose's lightly snoring form beside me. Her smile still held, further proving that it was a trained stewardess smile after all.

"She's not..." I began, trying to explain what she was to me, but I stopped. It didn't really matter anyway, not really. I was just helping her. It didn't really matter what we were as long as she ended up happy. "She could probably use a blanket and a pillow if you have one." The stewardess nodded, again turning back to her cart. I waited patiently for her to retrieve them, and took them graciously when she offered them. I thanked her, and she kindly told me that all I had to do was find her if I needed anything else. I thanked her again, and she moved on to the people seated in front of us.

I lifted Rose's sleeping head and softly and slowly as I could, placing the pillow beneath it, throwing the blanket over her just after. I watched as she snuggled into the pillow, murmuring softly as she did. I smiled a bit, watching her, until she starting whispering _his_ name. She seemed happy enough at first, whispering his name like a prayer. But it turned into almost moans soon enough, little cries of longing and need. She whispered her pain out in her dreams, probably reliving how he left her over and over again. It became too much for me rather quickly, and I hid inside my bottle for the remainder of of our flight. And what a long flight it was.

We stumbled out of the Tolmachevo Airport in Novosibirsk, Russia some hours later. Well, I should say, I stumbled and Rose helped support me out of the airport. I had done a damn fine job finishing off my bottle of vodka while riding that damned airplane. All Rose could do was to chuckle at my drunkenness and lead us out to the street to find us a taxi. She hailed one quickly, helping me into the backseat. Our driver was a smaller man, a human. I hoped he would know where Baia was on the map. I had heard it was mostly a town of dhampirs. When he asked where to, she answered, "Baia."

It was a long, near silent ride in that taxi, weaving us in and out of traffic. We spent at least an hour in it, or so I would guess, before he slowed to a crawl in a very much deserted area. I was getting nearly sober at this point, and wishing I weren't. I glanced out the windows, finding that we were in darkness. It was the vampire day, the human night. The driver pulled the car over to the side of the road and cut the engine. I glanced at Rose, finding her somewhat startled. She looked to the driver and repeated the name of our destination.

The driver shook his head. "No further I go." He said, his Russian accent thick and his English pretty broken and choppy. "No drivers go there. They no come back if they do." He got out and quickly open the door for us, almost pushing us out of the taxi. He climbed back into the taxi once we were out of it and had our bags in hand. He held his hand out the window, waiting for us to pay for the ride. I hand him a few bills and he nodded graciously. "Short walk down road. Be quick. Darkness holds many monsters." He sped off than, heading back the way we came.

Rose looked at me, switching into guardian mode. "I remember this road." She said, though there seemed to be an uncertainty in her voice, but she pressed on. "It shouldn't be more than a fifteen walk down this road. Come on." She started walking at a brisk pace, and I jogged to keep up. We continued on that way for about ten of the fifteen minutes. I doubled over, trying to catch my breath. Rose stopped and looked back at me. "We need to keep going. It's too dark to stop now." She pulled on my arm, trying to get me moving again.

"Hold on," I gasped, jerking my arm back. "I need to breathe. We'll get moving again in a second." I straightened out again, gasping for a few quick breaths. I looked back to her, about to say we could get moving again, but I caught the look on her face. She seemed to be listening to something, and she looked frightened by whatever it was. "What is it, Little Dhampir?"

She pushed me down the road, whispering urgently, "Run!" She pushed me again, and I stumbled. She jerked me back up and pushed me again. She repeated herself, "Run! Straight down this road. First house on your left. Tell Mark to hurry." I started running, getting the unspoken message that her face screamed loud and clear to me.

_**Strigoi.**_

**AN:**

Sorry for the wait. I hope you like it, and I hope I can get back on track for the next few chapters. Enjoy and I hope you all had great holidays. Please review and let me know what you think!


	10. Vengeance Hurts The Wicked

**AN: **Wow. I'll never get used to how many responses I get and how fast!

So, I wanted to say, if you have questions about the story, I have no problems answering them, just some of your guys' questions are major spoilers! Haha! So if you want answers all I ask is that when you message me, make sure you say you don't mind spoilers and then I know to tell you all my secrets. If not, you'll find out sooner or later. HA!

**APOV**

I bolted off down the road, gasping for air again. I hadn't made it a hundred meters before I heard to sounds of fighting coming from behind me. I glanced behind me and my steps faltered. Rose was surrounded by six Strigoi; that was, if there weren't more in hiding. I stopped running to take in the scene behind me. She seemed to be holding her own, but she was outnumbered. She wouldn't make it without help. I pulled my cell out of my pocket and hit redial. My heart pounded as I prayed the ringing would stop.

"Rose?" Mark's voice rang through the speaker and I sighed in relief. It made sense that he thought this was her number. I hadn't really said much when we last had him on the other end.

"No, this is Adrian." He started to protest, assumingly to tell me he didn't know who I was, but I stopped him. "I'm Rose's friend. We're down the road, just outside Baia, she says. There's Strigoi." My voice shook and I spoke so quick I started tumbling over my words. "W-we need help, Mark. She's not go-gonna last much longer." I didn't get anything else out before I heard the phone hit the ground and some yelling coming from the other end. I took that as a good sign and shut my cell. I wanted nothing more than to run back to her and help her fight, but what good was I? I was not a fire user or anything of the sort. All I had was that damned spirit and- Spirit! I laughed, remembering what I had learned from some of Lissa's experiences. I reached down inside myself, touching spirit. It was a bit weak from the alcohol, but I could touch it. And that's all I needed. I sprinted back to Rose's side, taking a defensive stance behind her.

"ADRIAN!" She shrieked. I would have laughed at her expression, had it not been for the situation, that is. "What are you doing?" She demanded, distracted. She took a hard punch to the face because of it, and I tried not to wince. She needed to pay attention to them, not me.

"Focus, Little Dhampir. Mark's coming. I'm here to help." I put my fists up, hoping I could at least hit one if necessary.

One of the Strigoi let out a malicious laugh. "The great Rose Hathaway taking help from a royal Moroi? I thought I'd seen everything. What's your element, boy? Gonna burn me?" He hissed the last sentence at me, baring his fangs menacingly. I held my ground and met his eyes, holding tight to his gaze. I grabbed hold of spirit, feeling it start to well up inside me, screaming for me to let it burst forth. It strengthened me, and I grinned defiantly at him. I think, for a moment, he actually hesitated. So much

for Moroi being useless.

"No." I whispered, hate for him lacing my words and powering my spirit, "my element's spirit. And we're gonna dance!"

**Mark's POV (MPOV)**

Jerking awake on the couch, I gently pushed Oksana away from me, both of us having falling asleep whilst watching a bit of T.V. She stirred and started to wake as I grabbed the house phone off the end table. I checked the caller I.D. as I lifted the receiver to my ear. I froze for a moment, seeing that it was the same American number Rose had used earlier in the day. I sat upright on the sofa, instantly fully awake.

"Rose?" I asked, waiting for a reply. I heard a sigh that sounded quite relieved that I had answered, but it sounded like a male's voice so I was instantly apprehensive.

"No. This is Adrian." I started to ask who the hell he was and if the name Adrian was supposed to mean something to me. But before I could, he spoke again, silencing my attempts. "I'm Rose's friend. We're down the road, just outside Baia, she says." His voice shook, making me believe this wasn't just a social call. I knew what he had to tell me before he said it: "There's Strigoi." He began to stammer, with fear, I would guess. "W-we need help, Mark. She's not go-gonna last much longer." I dropped the phone then, jumping up and running for my coat and, more importantly, my silver stake. I just hoped Rose had been smart enough to pack her stake.

Oksana stood, staring at me with concern. "What is it? What's happened?" She asked, her voice a little higher than normal. She always knew when I switched into guardian mode, even if it wasn't often in our little town.

"Strigoi." I said bluntly. She paled at this, but stood strongly in her place. I could never understand how she had become so strong, but I thanked whatever higher power there was for it everyday. "Rose and a friend got ambushed," I explained, not stopping as I talked. I opened the door, throwing one last loving look back at her. "I'll be back soon." I turned to leave and she started to follow, I could tell through the bond. "Stay here, my love. We need you strong for healing." starting off at a jog, I took off without her.

The sight I came upon made me freeze in my steps. Rose was looking a bit frazzled, but she was at least still standing. I could see dark spots in her clothing and I instinctively knew they were blood stains. There were three Strigoi laying dead on the ground, and another three still standing. Rose had one coming relentlessly at her, fighting tooth and nail, no pun intended, to get to her throat. But she held her ground, showing just how bad-ass a guardian she had turned out to be.

But what had me dumbfounded and stuck in my track was what her friend was doing. He was a Moroi, royal I could guess by the clothing. But I was sparring off with two Strigoi on his own. But they weren't fighting him, they were fighting each other. I couldn't understand it. Shaking it off, I ran into the fray, staking one of the boy's Strigoi from behind, killing it before it had a chance to see me. Now that I had taken the other Strigoi's attention away from the boy, he seemed to have nothing to hold him up anymore and collapsed in a heap on the ground. My guardian instincts compelled me to check on the boy, but survival instincts took precedent. I began fighting the Strigoi, hoping the boy would be alright for a short time until I was free to take him to Oksana.

The Strigoi I was paired with was a larger male, but I think he had been a human before he died. He was slow and uncoordinated in his movements, making me believe he had also just recently been turned. When you are made into something superhuman, you don't automatically learn to master your superhuman skills. But, lucky for me, I had mastered my skills. I took a hit to the shoulder and pretended to fall back from the blow. He followed me down, thinking now was his chance for a meal. I laughed sadistically as he screamed when he landed straight on my stake. It was the oldest trick I knew, but it worked almost every time on the newly changed.

I was pushing his corpse off of me when I heard her scream. _Rose!_ My mind screamed and I pushed harder, nearly throwing the body a yard away from where I lay. I jumped up to save her, but I was too late. The boy was standing now and had a look of pure vengeance in his eyes. Rose lay discarded on the ground, but I could just make out a slow movement in her chest. If we could make it out of her quick enough, Oksana could save her. The boy stepped forward toward the Strigoi, purpose in his steps.  
>"Oh, I take out Hathaway, and I get a Moroi. How boring." The Strigoi complained, though something inside me almost pitied the monster. Something about the way the boy away staring dead on at him, no fear in his eyes, scared even me. "What you going to do to me, little rich boy? Sue me?" He laughed at his own joke, though he paused when the boy laughed right along with him.<p>

"No, it's not what I'M going to do; it's what YOU'RE going to do." He grinned evilly at the Strigoi and I swear I saw fear in a Strigoi's eyes that night. "You'll start by taking those sharp nails of yours. You're going to slash your own skin. Over and over, until I'm pleased." He said loftily, but the Strigoi began doing as he said, crying out in pain and shock. I could see the struggle in the demon's eyes, knowing he did not want to do this, but not being able to stop himself. I walked up upon the Strigoi, putting my stake to his heart. I tried to pierce him, but something was holding me back. I looked to the boy knowing he was the cause.

"Boy, let me finish this. We need to go inside." I said to him, but the boy was overcome with his compulsion. He didn't even seem to have heard me speak. I wasn't there, as far as he was concerned.

"Now use those nails to stab out you eyes. I want you to feel the pain you cause others." He commanded, and I almost vomited as the sight of the Strigoi obeying his wishes. The scream the came from it didn't help any. I had never once pitied a Strigoi, never in my life. But tonight I could say I pitied the animal in front of me. He never could have known that hurting Rose would have caused this kind of consequence.

I tried to remember what the boy said his name was. "ADRIAN!" I shouted, hoping I had gotten it right. He jerked his face toward me, anger and hatred oozing out of him so thick I thought I'd choke on it. "He's payed for what he's done. Let me finish this." I struggled to be free of him, and I moved about a half an inch. "Please. Let us be done here. Let's go." I pleaded and again I fought, moving just a bit more. He seemed to be tiring, but he wouldn't give up.

"No. He killed Rose. He has to pay." He said, no remorse in his tone, only hatred for the monster and hurt for Rose. I shook my head vigorously at him, hoping he was still paying attention.

"She's not dead. She could be if you don't stop." I used his need for her to be okay to bargain with him. If I didn't know better, I'd say he loved her, but I couldn't tell for sure at the moment. "We have to get her back to Oksana. But I can't do that until you let me kill him." I looked back to the Strigoi who had begun to slash himself again. He was a blinded animal. I knew I would have to act quickly if he released us both.

Adrian looked conflicted but finally glanced at me. "She's alive?" He whispered. I nodded vigorously, hoping I had him. He nodded back at me, and released me from his hold. I staked the demon just as he began to run blindly forward. One last screech and he too was on the ground. The boy collapsed again and I couldn't blame him. Moroi couldn't use compulsion like that without it taking a toll. Even Oksana, a spirit user, had a hard time with it. Who knows what element the boy could control and how he had just managed a feat like this.

I hoisted Rose's body into one arm and shoulder and somehow managed to get the boy into my other one. I carried them back toward the house, stumbling every few feet from the weight. I really needed to get back into guardian shape, I mused. I should have been able to make it without even breaking a sweat. I shook my head at my thoughts and picked up the pace, not wanting to come across anymore Strigoi with two unconscious bodies in my protection.

I kicked the door when I got to it, and it immediately swung open, Oksana standing behind it with a look of worry that turned quickly to shock. "Get them inside!" She demanded, and I complied, not that I had much of an option. I lay them both of them on our two sofas and collapsed into the recliner next to the fireplace. Oksana looked lost as to where to start with the two. I offered her what little I could.

"Start with Rose; the boy just collapsed from exhaustion." She nodded and started to heal Rose and I could feel the magic well up inside her. I stole the bits of darkness that were forming and she asked silently though the bond, _How did this happen?_ I shrugged, tired as I had ever felt, and just replied, "Strigoi. She was overwhelmed." I set my head back to rest when I laughed just a bit and Oksana looked shocked by the sound. I lifted my head back to look at her and said what had made me chuckle in such a dark moment.

"Rose always knows how to make an entrance, doesn't she." She just shook her head at me, focusing back on healing Rose, but I could tell she agreed.


	11. Assaulting the Moroi Gets You Nowhere

**AN**: Trying to get these up as soon as possible, but I don't write ahead and then beg for reviews for you guys to get another chappy. I know authors that do that and it annoys the crap outta me. Lol. Anyways, sorry it's taken so long. I had a heck of a time with my second semester of college, but I kept my 3.5 GPA! (Hurray for me!) Thanks for sticking with me through the giant gap of no posts. It means a lot.

P.S. If anything doesn't line up just right with the way Richelle wrote it, I'm sorry. I haven't read them for a while. For instance, I can't remember if Oksana and Mark know anything about restoring the Strigoi. I don't think they do, but for my purposes, they don't. Just FYI.

So, yeah. I'll get back to what you really came here for: THE STORY!

**RPOV**

I woke up groggily, my vision fuzzy for a short minute before it cleared and let me take in my surroundings. I had no idea where I was, and it put me on edge. I touched my fingers to my neck, remembering the bite I had received last night in my fighting. After that, everything went blank. I could be in a Strigoi den for all I knew, and I didn't like it one bit. I took in the furniture around me, deciding that if I were captured, there were far too many possible weapons that I could use. I didn't know if that were a plus or not. My brain said it would help in a fight, but my instincts said that there were two options. One: the Strigoi were careless, which didn't seem very likely. Or two: They were very young Strigoi, which didn't make it much better. Young Strigoi may be easier to take down in a fight because of lack of experience, but they also tended to make hastier decisions, letting their emotions take control of their actions.

I grabbed the lamp of the side table, yanking the plug out of the wall. Tip-toeing to the door, I pressed my ear against the door, listening for any sounds from my captors. I heard voices, two men and a woman coming from what sounded like downstairs. Next came footsteps and voices seemed to be coming closer. I pressed myself against the wall to the side of the door, waiting for my moment. They were coming to kill me, that was the most likely option. I held my breath as the handle of the doorknob turned, clutching my makeshift weapon to my breast.

One of the men was the first to walk in, and I jumped at my chance. I swung the lamp hard, clipping the back of my captors skull. He went down hard, dropping to his hands and knees, pressing one hand

to his head. I shouted in triumph over him, knowing the other two would be on me in seconds. I may go down, but I would take them down with me if I could.

"Take that you damn- Adrian?" I asked, dumbfounded at what I was seeing. My victim stood slowly and faced me, grimacing at me like I was crazy. It might have been out of pain too, but I couldn't be sure. "What are you doing here?" My brain felt like mush and I couldn't figure out what was happening.

"She's just fine, Oksana!" I heard another voice from the hall call down to the first floor, a chuckle in his tone. I spun around, shocked by what I was seeing. Mark stood in the doorway, grinning widely at me. "You know," he started wistfully, "you're not supposed to attacked Moroi, Rose. Especially a Moroi who's your boyfriend." I walked over to Mark, laughing and giving him a hug. It had been a while since I had seen him and I hadn't realized that I had missed him, and Oksana, so much.

"It was a reaction," I stated, following true Rose form. I looked back to Adrian who, while still regarding me wearily, had begun to smile at us. "He'll be f-" I stopped mid-sentence, replaying what Mark had just said. I squared my shoulders and took an angry step toward Adrian as it sank in. He backed away from, undoubtedly seeing the patented Hathaway Death Glare. "He'll be dead." I amended and lunged for him, swinging the lamp again. He jumped out of my way and Mark grabbed me before I could try again.

"Rose! What's wrong with you?" Mark asked, clearly shocked by my reaction, not really knowing what had caused it to begin with. I struggled against him, wanting to rip Adrian's throat out. "Calm down already and just explain you are trying to attack him." Mark demanded, spinning me around in his arms. I struggled only one more before giving in.

"He's not my boyfriend. I'm gonna kill him for saying that he is." I said bluntly before spinning around and lunging out of his arms at Adrian. I missed him with the lamp again, proving just how off I was today, and I made the mistake of meeting his gaze. I immediately felt myself becoming more calm and I dropped the lamp to the floor, shattering the bulb on impact.

"Little Dhampir." I found myself frozen, stuck staring at him. "Calm down. I didn't tell him I was your boyfriend. I just woke up myself and told them we needed to wake you before I tried explaining anything as to why we are here. He just assumed." Adrian spoke quickly, trying to get the words out before I could break through his compulsion. You can believe I was trying too. He released me, and I staggered, the release a shock after trying so hard to get through. I steadied myself and sighed.

"Sorry." I mumbled and Adrian took it for what it was. I think Mark was still apprehensive and on guard in case I snapped again, but I knew myself better than he did. I was fine now. It had been just a little left over darkness leaking out at an inopportune time. I hated that aspect of Lissa and I's relationship, but it was getting less frequent now that the bond had broken. There were still tiny bits left over inside me, but soon I would be empty of it all and I couldn't wait for that day. I glanced at Mark and gestured to the lamp. "I'll pay for that. I'm sorry." With that, I walked out the door of the room I had woken up in and walked down the stairs, trying to get away from the awkward situation I had just made for myself.

"Rose! How are you feeling?" Oksana met me at the bottom and I tried to put on a smile for her, but it was a hard task. Not only was I still feeling the aftereffects of the darkness, but I knew part of my foul mood had to do with what had happened just a day or so ago with the damned Russian bastard I loved. Oksana smiled kindly at me and gazed wearily up the stairs, a questioning look upon her face. "What happened up there?" She asked, and Mark and Adrian came to a stop behind me, presumably trying to keep some distance from me at the moment, not that I blamed them. "Sounded like you were fighting the Strigoi again." She chuckled nervously at that, just like any other Moroi when speaking of those monsters that had once been something not too unlike them.

I laughed, trying to play down what had happened, "I got a bit confused; hit Adrian with a lamp. No biggie." I shrugged, walking past her to sit down on one of the couches. I noticed the one I picked looked like it was stained with fresh blood, but I told myself I was seeing things.

"Speak for yourself." Adrian mumbled, grimacing again and massaging the back of his head a bit. "I don't care if you just woke up. You hit like a momma bear protecting a cub." He walked away at that, wandering into the kitchen. I could take three guesses as to what he was going to go look for, and the first two guesses wouldn't count.

"I really am sorry about that." I half shouted, hoping he would hear me. I got comfortable on the couch as they came around to face me. I felt as if I were at the Spanish inquisition with them staring at me like that. I looked to Oksana and Mark, hoping to explain myself and my actions. "I thought I'd been taken. I had no idea where I was, and I certainly don't remember ending up at your guys' place. Thanks, by the way," I looked to Oksana with my gratitude, "you must have healed me, am I right?" She nodded kindly and I sighed. "You shouldn't have. The darkness-"

"Don't worry about it." Mark interrupted, and I quieted myself. I didn't know why, but for some reason, with the way I had acted so far, I felt like a child amongst adults. "You know we have our ways of handling all that. Now, what I do want to know is," I braced myself, knowing the reprimand was coming now, "why the hell you were out in the pitch black dark of Russia without so much as another guardian out there with you to protect your ass. Don't you realize how incredibly stupid that was?" Mark stared at me, and I was sure he was wondering if I had gone off my rocker. I looked away from him, embarrassed by what kind of situation I had put myself and Adrian in.

"I know. A lot has happened recently." I tried to explain though I couldn't seem to make the words come out right. No matter how I said it, it sounded like I really was stupid for doing what I had. "I wasn't thinking right.." I thought for a moment and said the next thing that occurred to me. "Hey, at least no one died, right?" I tried to flash my smile at him then, but Mark ruined the happiness I had at this revelation.

"No, no one died. But they could have. _**You**_ almost did." My mind flashed back to that last moment, the one with me standing on the road in the arms of a monster. I felt sick at the thought, remembering with revulsion that I had enjoyed the endorphins that had flowed through my veins. I hadn't even fought after he had sank his fangs into me. I just clung to him, letting him suck the life out of me as I rode my high. I hated myself for it, but I knew deep down that I had had no control over myself in that moment. I had to let it go.

"I know that." I whispered, looking away again. "Like I said, I wasn't thinking clearly." I stood then, walking into the kitchen like I wanted something to drink. I'll admit, I really was thirsty, but in truth I just wanted to get away from their staring eyes. I had let everyone down. I didn't really feel justified in my actions, though I tried to act as if I had planned everything to happen the way it had. I was just as he had said; stupid. I should have known we would be out at night and just put off leaving for Baia until morning. Adrian would have paid for a hotel if I had asked. But I hadn't. I hadn't even considered it as an option.

"Rose?" I heard Oksana's tentative voice come from behind me. I had stopped in the middle of their kitchen, feeling even more lost than ever when I realized I hadn't even asked where they kept the glasses. I tried to fight back my tears as everything started to hit me again. The lost and broken feeling the clung to my insides returned, and I found it hard to breathe. I turned to look at her and her face was so gentle I had to fight to stay where I was and not run into her arms, crying out for comfort. "What's happened to you, hun? You're... different. Not our Rose that I remember." I could tell she was struggling for her words as well, probably thrown off by how I was acting. I guess it could come as a shock. I usually seemed like a very strong person, or so I'd been told. But here I was, fighting tears all because I didn't know where to find the cups. Figures I'd break over something stupid.

I sat in one of the chairs at the table, putting my head in my hands. I let the tears begin to fall; I couldn't hold the back anymore. Out of the corner of my blurred eye, I saw Mark walk up behind Oksana, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry Rose. I didn't mean to upset you." His voice was still a bit hard, but I knew he truly meant it. I knew Mark was a good guy; he overreacted because he cared.

"That's not really it," I said, and as I spoke, it shocked me how much my voice shook. I hated getting like this, especially in front of people. "It's about D-D-Dimitri." I stuttered as I said his name, feeling my heart shatter into even smaller specks of dust inside my chest. I really felt as if I wouldn't be able to make it past him, though I knew I would try. It wasn't that I wanted to; I just didn't know how not to. We Hathaway girls don't quit just because a man takes off without us. We just dust ourselves off and keep on living. If I'd ever learned a thing from my mother, it was that. I just wished I knew how to get started. I felt so defeated.

"Rose. I hoped you wouldn't come back here to start chasing after him again." Mark somehow kept the scolding tone out of his voice, but I could tell it was hard for him. He was a guardian after all, and guardians were taught to think clearly and logically. Neither of which could be described as what I had done. "You know it's not safe and-"

"That's not why we're here." I looked up at the sound of Adrian's voice, shocked by how much I had lost it. I hadn't even noticed him when I walked in here. He was in the far corner of the kitchen, a bottle of something hard and wet in his hand. He looked sorrowful when he met my eyes, making me start to wipe at mine, knowing they were the cause of his pain. Even if I couldn't love him back, I still cared for him and didn't want to cause him any more pain. "We didn't come here to chase him around. He'd have to be a Strigoi for that, which he isn't so..." He started rambling and I hoped it was the liquor. I knew he had problems with spirit, and it worried me whenever he acted that way.

Shock flew across Mark's face and he focused on me. "He's not a Strigoi? You've killed him, then?" He almost seemed hopeful at that and it saddened me. Even through they are Strigoi, it always makes me hurt to kill them. It just seems like such a waste of life, even a life that is now tainted by evil and blood. I remembered having a conversation with Dimitri that was similar to my thoughts now. I pushed them away, forcing myself not to hurt anymore. Or at least for now.

"No." I stated, blunt in my tone. My tears had dried mostly, and now I forced the guardian in me to take over. _Stop hurting. Get back on track. Just keep fighting._I could hear my stronger half chanting these orders to my weaker half. I tried my hardest to follow them. Mark looked at me, now more confused than I thought he should be, making me continue on and explain what had happened. "He's not a Strigoi. He's a Dhamphir."

Mark shook his head adamantly, but I could almost see the wheels turning in Oksana's head as she thought this over, sitting at the chair opposite me. She didn't seem to focus on anything at all, but she didn't seem to just be spacing off either. She seemed lost in the idea of someone returning to their previous form after being a Strigoi. I could understand where she was coming from in that aspect; it had taken actually seeing it done for me to believe it could happen.

"That's not possible." Mark said, shaking his head as if to keep the idea from getting into his head. "It goes against everything we've ever been taught." He looked over at Oksana suddenly, and I knew he had heard her thoughts on the matter. "You're not actually considering this?" He seemed shocked and almost appalled that she would even think that something so ludicrous was possible.

"It might very well be possible." She responded almost a bit to curtly and I could see the evident hurt in his eyes. She turned her gaze to me, and I fought the urge to step away from her. She didn't look angry or hostile per-say, but I always hated to see that kind of determination in a Spirit user's eyes. Ninety percent of the time, it meant trouble and it was usually for me on top of it.

"But how?" Mark sputtered. I felt bad for the guy. Here I was, dropping this kind news on him. He was right, of course; it went against everything we had ever been taught about Strigoi. We grew up believing that once a person was turned, voluntarily or forcibly, that they were lost. Everything they had ever been to us was gone. But now, here I am, telling him that they stood a chance.

"It's spirit." I said, hating the deadness I heard in my voice. I took a deep breath, hoping it would lend me strength to carry on a short conversation before falling apart piece by piece again. It killed me that I had resigned myself to being broken but I honestly had no idea how else to react at this point. "Lissa figured out how to charm a stake with Spirit. It changes them back to what they were before."

A strange fire lit inside of Oksana's eyes and she suddenly seemed to need the answers to all the questions that we had been plagued with when it had all happened. "How'd she do it? Did she say if it was just like charming simple silver? Or was it more complicated? Was-" She would have continued on until she died from lack of breath, I think. But Mark layed his hand on her shoulder to quiet her.

"I'm sure she doesn't want to answer all that just now. Do you, Rose?" He looked to me then, his eyes lit with a warm caring that I desperately didn't need right now. It helped just a bit, but it also made Weak Rose want to come back out and be consoled. I had to keep her locked away for as long as possible. I still had other things I had to accomplish here in Baia. Strong Rose was the only one I could trust to get it done.

"I'd really like to go for a walk, if possible, actually," My eyes shot to the window and I sighed in relief as I took in the bright sunlight streaming in through the shades. I couldn't believe how happy it made me to be up early in the morning for a change. It would definitely shock the hell out of Dim- I stopped the thought where it stood, reminding myself to avoid anything that would chip away at my hold on myself. I got up without waiting for their reply and headed out the door. I knew what I had to do, here and now.

I just wasn't looking forward to it.

**AN:** SO Yeah there it is. If you can't tell, not the most fun chapter to write. Not that I didn't like hitting Adrian with a lamp. That was fun. But let me know what all y'all think about it. Good or bad!


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